Rebellion: The Fallout of the Second Human-Faunus War
by Coolheadluke
Summary: The violence and brutality of the White Fang provoked a three year war that devastated the faunus. Now enslaved by the victorious humans, faunus are routinely subjected to humiliation and hate. Well, most faunus. Join Velvet as she grows accustomed to her strange new master, Jaune Arc, and joins in his shadow war against the standing social order. M for themes, not graphic violence
1. Birthday Surprise

**Birthday Surprise**

Velvet was used to pain and abuse. All faunus were, since the violence of the White Fang had pushed human-faunus tensions over the boiling point and into war. The three year conflict had finally ended when General Arc took command of the human armies, relentlessly crushing all faunus resistance beneath their hobnailed boots. With a decisive and brutal victory, Arc had then overseen the reconstruction of the social order, enslaving all surviving faunus. Velvet had only been thirteen when the war began, too young to do anything. Now she was almost of age, having spent two years a slave for the Schnee Dust Corporation. Despite her physical frailness, she was employed in the mines, and spent her days extracting crystalized dust from the earth.

Swing, shove, pull, lift. Swing, shove, pull, lift. She settled into her usual rhythm, hefting the same pickaxe that she had been using for the past two years. She worked steadily away at the wall of dirt and rock in front of her, slowly pushing it back deeper into the earth. Her hands were covered in scars from the rough wood of the pickaxe, and her muscles ached at all hours. Still, even though she worked from before dawn to well after dusk, she dared not complain. The first and last faunus that Velvet had seen try had been dragged out in front of the entire factory and shot twice in the gut. The faunus slaves were forced to stand and watch as he slowly bled out, moaning and screaming as the humans beat him. His mangled corpse had been left in the sun for a week, as a reminder.

Incidentally, Velvet's eighteenth birthday was today, not that anyone would have cared. The other faunus were too busy staying alive on meager rations and dirty water, and the guards...well, they were humans. Still, it was a rather important important day to her, even if she had no one to share it with. So, she had promised herself a small gift, a small relief from her world of suffering. She would dare to...

"Velvet Scarlatina!" the foreman roared, cursing as he stumbled through the dimly lit tunnel. Velvet flinched, her rhythm faltering. She knew that tone of voice, and it never boded well.

"H-here..." she replied with trepidation, stepping forward with downcast eyes.

"Git over 'ere, you worthless coney!" the foreman spat. Velvet obeyed, and dropped the pickaxe as her ears were grabbed in a vicegrip.

"Yer comin' with me..." the foreman growled, dragging her back through the tunnel towards the surface.

None of the other faunus looked up, they didn't dare. They all knew what being taken out of work early meant. They all silently said their goodbyes. Velvet saw light, bulbs strung haphazardly around a caged elevator. The foreman shoved her inside and hit a button, allowing the cage to rise. She could barely control her rising panic. She had been a good worker, an obedient slave. She might not have been the most productive, but there were many others far worse than her. Surely they would be killed first, right? Then another thought entered her head, of a chain of events worse than death. What if they wanted...?

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by daylight and a dusty wind, forcing her eyes shut. She clutched her worn garments, afraid that the breeze would reveal even more of her than the thin fabric already did. She heard the cage door clang open, and opened her eyes just as a meaty hand grabbed her shoulder, hauling her out and throwing her down on the ground. Before she could recover, a black hood was roughly shoved over her head, crushing her sensitive ears. She whimpered a little, and she heard a heartless chuckle as her wrists and ankles were also bound. She felt herself being slung unceremoniously over the man's shoulder, felt each of his weighted steps as he trudged through what seemed like a mile of dirt pathways.

Finally, she felt a shift in his shoulders, and she was painfully dumped onto some hard, unyielding surface. Before she could rise, there was a swoosh of air, and a metallic clang. After a few seconds, an engine rumbled to life, telling Velvet that she was in the trunk of a car. Unable to see, her breathing and hearing impaired, Velvet gave in to her panic. She had absolutely no idea what could be happening to her. Faunus that were selected to die were given a public execution on company grounds, often with a brutal beating and in front of the entire faunus workforce. Sexual assaults were also common, but those too happened on company grounds, usually up against a wall in a quiet alley between office buildings. The beatings, the overwork, the hatred, the abuse, all of that was to be expected, and thus was barely thinking about. But this blind car ride was something new, something unknown, and that was what inspired terror.

The car slowed to a stop after only a minute of driving, and silence reigned as the engine was switched off. Her heart jumped into her mouth as the trunk lid was opened, her breathing stopped. She curled into a ball instinctively, exposing as little of herself to torment as possible. She heard an resigned sigh, and a hand patted her gently on the shoulder.

"I'm not going to hurt you" a strangely soothing voice said, unknown hands deftly untying her ankles and pulling away the constricting cord. The found their way up to her arms, but her wrists were well hidden against her abdomen. She shivered, not fully trusting this voice.

"Shh, it's alright" the voice continued, abandoning her wrists and undoing her hood instead.

She felt the cloth slide off her head, and she looked up, blinking a little as her eyes readjusted. The man standing above her was well dressed, with a fancy suit, scarf, and neatly swept back grey hair. A pair of tinted glasses was perched on his nose, and an elegant cane leaned against the car. A small smile was on his face, a sad one.

"May I?" he asked, gesturing at her wrists, still held tightly against herself. Velvet slowly relaxed, and brought her arms forward. It was the work of a moment to get the cord undone, which he cast away with a slightly disgusted look.

"My name is Ozpin" he introduced himself, helping her out of the trunk. Velvet didn't respond, she simply kept her eyes on the ground and waited for an order.

"The polite thing to do would be to introduce yourself" Ozpin prompted encouragingly.

"I'm Velvet..." Velvet mumbled, unsure of what to make of this cordial man.

"Pardon?" Ozpin asked, leaning in a little. "My hearing isn't what it used to be."

"I'm Velvet" Velvet repeated, much clearer this time.

"Ah, Velvet" Ozpin replied, smiling. "You have a very nice name. Well, Velvet, why don't you get in the car?" Velvet turned back towards the trunk, but Ozpin put a hand on her shoulder.

"I said the car" Ozpin said, "Not the trunk." He closed the trunk with his free hand and guided Velvet over to the passenger door and opened it for her. Velvet hesitated slightly before getting in, decinding that this "Ozpin" was probably some kind but crazy old gentleman who wanted a quiet house slave.

"Not quite" Ozpin chuckled, almost as if he had heard her thoughts. "But you are close." He buckled Velvet in before shutting the door and resuming his place in the driver's seat.

"So, you're probably wondering what's going on here" Ozpin said after a few minutes of silence. Velvet nodded, keeping her head down as the scenery flashed by around her. The shifting world combined with the sensation of remaining still was something that she had nearly forgotton over two years, and its sudden return made her slightly nauseous.

"Well" Ozpin continued, taking her silence as an affirmative answer. "You have been selected to join the staff of the Arc household." Velvet instantly stiffened, knowing that the Arc name was synonymous with death in the faunus world.

"Breathe" Ozpin told her, and Velvet forced her lungs back into service. "You will be attending to the son of General Arc, a boy around your own age by the name of Jaune." Ozpin pulled a face. "He lives apart from his family in a small house in Vale. I think you'll understand once you meet him, he's a little...strange..."

Velvet nodded, still telling herself to keep breathing. All the unknown variables were piling up around her, creating a massive amount of stress and fear. Who was Ozpin, really? What was this Jaune character like? Why did he live apart from his family? What did Ozpin mean by "strange"? What if she failed to please him? What would happen to her then? Her mind was in such a panicked state that she hadn't even noticed that the car had stopped until her door was opened.

"Are you alright?" Ozpin asked, leaning in and undoing her seatbelt. "You're as white as a sheet."

"Y-Yes!" Velvet squeaked, jumping a little as she was shocked out of her reverie.

"Well, we're here..." Ozpin announced, looking distastefully back at the building behind him.

It was a single story house, situated between two much bigger buildings which were, in turn, flanked by other buildings of similar size. In fact, is was the only house on the street, which was otherwise filled with dirty storefronts or tennements. The house was grey, and had a few windows that faced outwards. A short staircase led up to the door, which was also grey. Ozpin gestured, and the two of them climbed the cement stairs. Reaching out with one hand, Ozpin carefully pushed the doorbell. After a few minutes, he did it again. Then he knocked, politely, three separate times. After about ten minutes of waiting, Ozpin glanced at his watch. Velvet heard him swear under his breath, and she felt herself tense, an almost habitual response.

"DAMMIT JAUNE! I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE!" Ozpin shouted as he hammered the door mercilessly with the head of his cane. There was only silence from within, and Ozpin raised his eyebrows in mild shock.

"That usually works..." he mumbled, patting down his pockets.

Velvet looked at him quizically, not really sure what he was doing. Finally, Ozpin found what he was searching for, and pulled it out with a triumphant smile. It looked a little like a Swiss Army knife, except that instead of a collection of blades, clippers, and a can opener, it possessed tiny rods of varying lengths and sizes. Producing a similar device in his other hand, Ozpin bent over the door handle, and casually picked the lock while quietly humming. Velvet was surprised. She had assumed that, since Ozpin seemed to know Jaune, that he would have some legal way of entering the premises.

"Oh, don't worry about this" Ozpin explained, catching her look and smiling. "He lost his keys as well, so picking the lock is the only way in." Velvet nodded. Even if Ozpin was lying, it was her duty to accept her master's words as utter and complete truth.

The lock clicked, and Ozpin straightened up, pushing the door open and ushering Velvet inside. She was instantly greeted by a dark, slightly chaotic scene. A couch took up an entire wall of the living room, facing off with a reclinging chair that seemed to be stuck in its reclined position. A pair of jeans and a hoodie were thrown over the arm of the couch. The small coffee table was missing half of one of its legs, and was propped up by a shaky stack of books. A few blankets and a pillow were haphazardly piled up in one corner, next to an open doorway that seemed to lead to a kitchen. Faded posters covered the walls, most hanging on by only a single tack or laying crumpled on the floor. However, despite the general mess, the place was surprisingly clean. No odors hung in the air, and every surface looked like it had been washed somewhat recently. Even the clothes looked like they were fresh from the laundry.

"Well" Ozpin began, glancing around. "I can't stay too long, so I'll make this long story very, very short. You now belong to Jaune Arc, and will act as his personal house slave. I know from your transcript that you served briefly in the Schnee Household, so you should have no problems dealing with this small arrangement."

"Here are your papers" Ozpin said, handing her a manilla envelope stuffed with documents. "And a letter explaining the whole thing to Jaune."

"W-What do y-you...?" Velvet trailed off, stopping herself from speaking out of turn.

"Yes" Ozpin answered. "He is unaware of the situation. If he asks what's going on, hand him the letter. He'll understand once he reads it. Now, any questions?"

Velvet bit her lip, unsure if she wanted to ask, or what she would if she did. On the one hand, this Ozpin fellow somehow projected a calming aura, and he seemed like he could be trusted. On the other, he was a human, and from Velvet's experience, all humans were horrendously racist. She wavered, glancing around randomly, before finally giving in.

"Wh-who are you?" she asked very quietly, her eyes downcast.

"Me?" Ozpin replied, slightly taken aback at her choice of question. He had been expecting her to ask about her sudden change of situation, but he pushed that to the back of his mind.

"I am Ozpin, the Arc family butler. Now, if you'll excuse me, I really need to get going." So saying, he strode out the door and closed it behind him. A few seconds later, the car rumbled to life, and drove away, leaving Velvet alone.

Velvet stood in the living room/entry hall of this new house, still holding the packet of documents in one hand and the letter in the other. She was utterly at a loss for what to do. Normally, she would be breaking her back mining endless tunnels, searching for dust pockets. She wanted to explore the house, but was terrified of the potential reaction from her new master, Jaune. She also wanted to sit down and rest her tired muscles, but she was also terrified of that provoking rage as well. So, she stood frozen just inside the door, uncertain and afraid. Time passed, measured by the silent changing of digital numbers on a small clock propped up on the arm of the couch. Seven sixteen AM. Eight. Nine. Quarter to ten.

Her silent vigil ended suddenly, when she heard the scraping of picks against the door. There was a surprised murmur when whoever was there found the door to be unlocked. The picks stopped moving, and there was dead silence for a few seconds. Velvet's heart was in her mouth. Who was out there? Was is Jaune? Or some intruder? What did they want? What would they do to her if...? Her thoughts froze as her enhanced faunus hearing picked up the whisper of a window being opened. Now she had two people to worry about. She heard footfalls, almost silent, stalking through the one story building. Sooner or later, they would find her and...

"Eh?" A voice came from behind Velvet, sounding very confused. She spun around, fighting back a scream as she fell to the floor in fright. Leaning in the doorway to the kitchen was a young man, slightly taller than herself, with a cleanshaven face and a short crop of blond hair. He wore a grey vest over an oxford shirt, along with dress pants and shoes, all slightly ruffled from breaking into the house.

"Who are you?" the man asked, obviously taking the shaking Velvet as not much of a threat. Velvet didn't trust her voice, so she simply held up Ozpin's letter with a tembling hand.

"Hm?" the man muttered, taking the letter.

He slit it open with a practiced flick of his finger and drew out the enclosed paper, unfolding it and letting his eyes slide down the page. As they did so, his expression rapidly darkened, turning his somewhat innocent face into a mask of anger. Velvet shrunk deeper into the ground, preemtively curling herself up and pulling her ears in close. She had seen angry humans before, and knew that it inevitably led to some faunus or other being beaten, even if it wasn't their fault. A brief growl of disgust escaped the man, and Velvet whimpered as he crumpled the letter and hurled it into a wastebasket with unnecessary force.

"Idiot..." the man muttered, turning around. "He knows full well...Hey, are you alright?"

His voice instantly changed in tone from angry to concerned. Velvet felt one of his hands brush her shoulder, and she flinched back in fear, curling up even tighter. The hand returned, this time on her back. It applied a gentle pressure, drawing her in and wrapping around to her opposite shoulder. Velvet shuddered, tears leaking from her eyes as she desperately tried to put her mind elsewhere. She felt a second hand wrap around her, cradling her head against what felt like a shoulder.

"Shhh..." the man murmured into her ear, rocking her gently. "It'll be alright...I'm not going to hurt you...I'm not going to hurt you..."

Velvet knew he was lying. He had to be. All humans hated faunus, treated them as if they were worse than dirt. And this particular specimen was probably the son of General Arc, the very man who had subjugated the faunus and reduced them to this horrible state. He had to be lying, tricking her into believing that he could be a nice person, that not all humans were bad. If she gave in to him, what would he demand of her?

And yet, the embrace that he gave her was warm, comforting. The man's voice continued to murmur in her ear, telling her that she was safe, that everything would be alright. His hands rubbed her back soothingly, even as he rocked back and forth, back and forth. She desperately wanted to believe him, to have his arms wrapped around her and give her this safe haven forever. Even if their supposed comfort was a lie, they still dulled the pain. Without even knowing it, she cried herself to sleep.

* * *

She woke to a quiet and rather tuneless whistling, which moved slowly around while remaining in roughly the same area. Velvet felt herself laying on a cushy surface. She shifted, and heard rustling as layers of fabric shifted with her. She opened her eyes, and was frankly astounded by what she saw. Someone, presumably the man, had placed her on the couch, and covered her with a few blankets. Seeing as they, as well as the rest of the house smelled like the man, Velvet felt it was safe to assume that the blond was Jaune. She turned her head to face in the direction of the humming, and she saw that it emanated from the kitchen. She wondered if Jaune owned more than one faunus, and she quietly slipped off of the couch and padded over to the open doorway.

Peeking in, she was greeted by the sight of the man, now dressed in the sweatshirt and jeans that she had seen earlier, flipping a skillet of sautéing vegetables. Setting the skillet down, he fiddled with the heat a little before turning on a second burner, placing a tea kettle on top of it. He opened a cabinet and took down two mugs, placing them next to two plates that were already on the counter. He turned around, as if he was going to look for something else, but he paused when he saw Velvet standing in the doorway.

"Good, you're up" he said, looking a little relieved. "Do you have any preferences about tea?"

Velvet simply continued to stare. Most people would've beaten her half to death when she walked through the door. Most people would've then left her there, bruised and bleeding, until she regained consciousness. Most people would've forced her to clean up the blood while standing over her shoulder, complaining of how dirty and pathetic the faunus were. Most people would've forced her to cook their meals, made her sleep in the basement or on the cold floor, and given her garbage or slop for food. Most people would not have held her while she cried, placed her in a comfortable resting place, or given her a choice of tea. Who the hell was this kid, and what drugs was he tripping on?

"Hello?" the blond asked, waving a hand in front of her glazed eyes. "Remnant to...what was your name again?"

"Velvet" Velvet replied, jumping back a little at his sudden closeness.

"Velvet..." the blond repeated, committing the name to memory. "What a pretty name. Anyway, I'm Jaune, and welcome to this drafty little dump that I call home." He backed up and spread his arms while gazed around for emphasis, adopting a grandiose tone of voice for good measure. The overall effect was rather comical. In spite of herself, Velvet let out a timid little giggle. Jaune smiled, and turned to reach into a pantry that Velvet hadn't yet noticed.

"You haven't answered me, by the way" Jaune said, leaning over as he dug around.

"Heh?!" Velvet exclaimed, terrified that she had already managed to slip up.

"About what type of tea you prefer" Jaune explained, finding a loaf of bread and straightening up. "I've got peppermint, camomile, and black, take your pick. I've also got water and beer, if you prefer."

He had busied himself at the counter, sawing off two generous hunks of bread and placing one on each plate. Glancing over at the skillet, he removed it from the heat and dished up the vegetables, a collection of carrots, string beans, and asparagus. Flicking the burners off and dropping the skillet into a small sink, he picked up the steaming kettle and poured out his mug, throwing in a teabag. He turned and faced Velvet, who was suddenly aware that she still hadn't answered him.

"Um..." Velvet mumbled, unsure of what to do when her master actually gave her a choice. She shifted uncomfortably, looking down as she fiddled with one of her ears. "hehe..."

"Too many choices?" Jaune asked, leaning against the counter. Velvet nodded, grateful that he was so perceptive. "Well, let's break it down then. Do you want a hot drink, or a cold one?"

"H-Hot..." Velvet mumbled shakily, slightly scared that he was leading her into a trap.

"Well, the only hot drink I have is tea" Jaune continued, a small smile on his face. "So do you want peppermint, camomile, or black?"

"Camomile..." Velvet replied, still quiet but much clearer now.

"And there we go" Jaune finished, pouring the second mug of tea and tossing in a different teabag. "See? That wasn't so hard."

"Well, go take a seat at the coffee table" He said, handing her the mug and plate as he gestured towards the living room.

Velvet complied, and heard the tinkle of silverware before he followed. They sat across from each other, and Jaune handed her a fork and a knife before digging in to his own dinner. Velvet simply looked down at her dinner and waited, not wanting to give offense.

"What's wrong?" Jaune asked, noticing her inactivity.

"Um..." Velvet replied, not wanting to offend Jaune by quoting law at him. Faunus were never supposed to eat at the same table as humans, ever.

"Is this about some regulation or slave code or whatever?" Jaune asked, sipping his still-brewing tea. "Because if it is, I don't care. Eat, before your food gets cold!"

Velvet blinked, surprised at his reaction. She hesitantly picked up her fork and held it over her plate. Jaune smiled and nodded in encouragement, and she speared part of a carrot. Cutting it into a managable piece, she slowly pulled it up to her mouth, freezing just before it reached her lips. It smelled so delicious, so soft, so warm! Why was he giving her this kind treatment? She glanced up at Jaune, who smiled and again told her to eat. She carefully placed the vegetable in her mouth and began to chew. Her nose was right, it was delicious, soft, and warm. It was juicy and tender and mind-numbingly flavorful. She moaned a little, and began to rapidly shovel more vegetables into her mouth.

"Easy! Easy!" Jaune laughed, placing a hand on her wrist. "Your stomach won't take it well if you eat too fast." Velvet paused, slowly registering his words as he released her wrist and went back to eating his own dinner.

"I am flattered that you think my cooking is so good though" he admitted, still smiling. Velvet blushed, it was the first time in two long years that anyone had paid her a compliment, and she had forgotton what it was like. Jaune just grinned, pulling off a piece of bread and biting into it.

When dinner was over, Velvet started to collect the dishes, but only managed to gather her own before she noticed Jaune already walking towards the kitchen, plate in one hand and mug in the other. She followed him, and watched as he dumped them in the sink, plugged it and pushed back his sleeves.

"I wash you dry?" he offered, reaching out to take her dishes.

Velvet nodded, grabbing a towel that was next to the sink and standing by. Jaune washed the dishes and skillet with practiced ease, polishing each one to a shine before handing it off to Velvet, who wiped it dry and stacked it on the counter. With the job over, Jaune drained the sink and dried his hands before replacing the dishes in the cabinet. He glanced at the stove's clock, and Velvet followed his eyes. Eleven PM. Velvet was shocked, when had it gotten so late?

"You did sleep for a long time" Jaune chuckled, seeing her flabergasted face. "From about ten to nine."

Velvet did some quick mental math and was again shocked when she learned that she had slept for eleven hours straight. That amount was nearly double what she usually got on a good night, let alone a bad one. Even more surprising was that Jaune had let her sleep for all that time, undistrubed... Velvet began to worry again. What if he was just playing nice? What is this was all some sort of elaborate plot to get her to trust him and then... She paled a little at the direction her thoughts were going, and quickly checked her outfit to make sure it didn't look too good on her. Her heartbeat accelerated, along with her worry, when Jaune gestured back into the living room while yawning.

"Alright" Jaune said, his back to Velvet. "All I've got for sleeping is the couch, the recliner, or a nest of blankets on the floor. Take your pick."

Velvet instantly chose the recliner, as it only had enough room for one. She clambered into the broken chair and curled up, trying to conserve body heat. She needn't have bothered, since Jaune came over and gently placed a few blankets over her, as well as handing her the pillow. Pulling them in close, she watched as Jaune flicked off the lights before going to grab the rest of the blankets. Throwing them over the couch, he kicked off his shoes and peeled off his sweatshirt and socks before slipping under the sheets, somehow positioning his head comfortably on the armrest of the couch. Judging from his breathing, he was asleep in minutes. Velvet closed her eyes, willing sleep to overtake her. As its warm embrace slowly descended, she decided on one very important fact. Whatever she had promised herself for her birthday, this boy, assuming he wasn't leading her on, was far better.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Hey guys! So, this is the first of roughly three RWBY fanfics that I have in the works, and I just want to say that the ideas for these all came into my head before Volume two came out. So, if any details in any of them conflict with Volume two, you now know why. So yeah, the first three ish chapters of this work will be devoted to character and setting development. However, I promise that action will pump soon. R&R, love, hate, favorite, flame, anything. I appreciate and respect any and all feedback:)


	2. A Grand Outing

**Chapter 2 A Grand Outing**

Velvet woke to two very inelegant noises. The first was the steady, electronic droning of the alarm clock. The second was a gutteral groan, followed by a muffled crash as another body fell to the floor. She cracked open her eyes and watched as Jaune hauled himself up, finally reaching the clock and smacking the 'off' button. He sighed as he slumped against the couch, rubbing sleep out of his eyes and yawning furiously. He reached around blindly for his sweatshirt, cursing softly when he banged his knees against the coffee table and again when he tripped over shoes. Watching him bumble around in the dark as he slowly finished dressing himself was rather hilarious, and Velvet giggled softly.

"Ugh...you're up..." Jaune grunted in response, finally realizing that he was trying to put his shoes on backwards. "Morning..."

"Good morning, Master" Velvet said, finally remembering her manners as a slave. She bolted out of the recliner before the sheets could shift with her, and instantly knelt and Jaune's feet, tying his shoes for him. "What would you like for breakfast?"

"Bleargh..." Jaune grumbled as he stumbled back at her sudden speed, smacking his head against the wall. "Uhhhmmm...What...?"

"What would you like to eat this morning, Master?" Velvet repeated, looking up from where she knelt on the floor.

"Oh..." Jaune grunted, rubbing the back of his head. "That... Well, I actually eat breakfast at my job, so I'm...HOLYSHITIMLATE!" The last few words melded into one as he glanced at the alarm clock, and he went into an overdrive of speed, rapidly changing out of his jeans and sweatshirt and back into the dress clothes in which Velvet had first seen him.

"IDONTHAVEMUCHINTHEWAYOFBREAKFASTBUTTHERESHOULDBEBREADINTHECUPBOARDANDWATERFROMTHETAPYOUKNOWWHERETHEDISHESARERIGHT?GOOD,GOODBYE!" With that one very long word, Jaune slammed full on into the front door.

"...Eh?" Velvet muttered, still trying to figure out how he had buttoned his vest while adjusting his belt and retying his shoes. She glanced at the clock, and saw that it was six thirty. Aparrantly Jaune's job started early.

"Owwwwww..." Jaune moaned, slowly rolling back to his feet as he clutched his face. "Why is the door so hard?" As he stood up, he took another glance at the clock. Then a harder one. Then he picked it up and stared at it firmly for several seconds.

"Oh" Jaune muttered. "That's right..." Loosening the buttons on his shirt and vest, he collapsed back onto the couch.

"Ummm...?" Velvet asked, not really sure what to do.

"It's sunday..." Jaune replied. "I work the night shift on sundays..."

"Ummmm...Master?" Velvet asked tentatively. Normally she wouldn't act so boldly, but Jaune seemed to be a nice person, a little strange at times, but a nice person. She got an inquiring grunt in reply, so she went on.

"What shall I do for you today, Master?" Velvet said.

"Hmm?" Jaune grunted, attempting to roll over and falling back onto the floor. "...dammit..."

"Master?" Velvet asked, scooting over and starting to help him up.

"Right..." Jaune muttered. "Breakfast...ummm...damn, we are really low on food just now...so, yeah..."

Jaune eventually managed to stand and stagger over the the kitchen, swearing quietly as he continued to bump into things. Velvet followed him and watched as he glared blearily into the pantry and fridge for several minutes. He stood up, banging his head on the top of the fridge as he did so, and backed off with a muttered curse. Normally Velvet would have been scared senseless from all the swearing, but today she wasn't. Jaune's tone didn't convey lasting anger or frustration, his use of expletives seemed to be limited to a brief reaction to pain, quickly spoken and just as quickly forgotten. He somehow managed to put the tea kettle on without mishap, and he leaned against the counter as he rubbed sleep out of his eyes. After the kettle boiled, he filled two mugs and threw in some black tea. He handed one to Velvet before picking up the other and taking a long swig.

"Alright..." He said, clutching his first cup of black tea in both hands and sounding much more awake. "I don't have to be at my job until seven this evening, so..." He took a sip of tea for inspiration. "I guess I could give you a tour of the house and..." He took another, deeper this time. "And show you around the neighborhood...No, on second thought, that's a bad idea. This section of Vale sucks...hmmm..." He moved to take another sip of tea, and seemed mildly surprised that it was empty. "More tea?" he offered, refilling his mug and reusing the teabag. Velvet, who hadn't even taken a sip of hers yet, shook her head as she wondered how he could stand drinking so much near-boiling water so quickly.

"Alright then..." Jaune continued, idly swirling the teabag around as he waited for the tea to brew. He stayed quiet for a little while, seemingly fascinated by the rotation of the water in his mug.

"Um, Master?" Velvet asked after a few more minutes, worried at his extended silence.

"Huh?" Jaune asked, startled out of some reverie or other. "What's going on?" He glanced at Velvet, nodded, and took a sip of tea. Then he looked at Velvet again, his eyes travelling up and down her form. She blushed a little from embarrassment, then paled as she realized a probable cause of this behavior.

He did say that he has no obligations until seven this evening... Velvet's fearful mind told her. She glanced at the clock. Nine in the morning. A lot could happen in ten hours...

"What's your size?" Jaune asked, looking away and draining his second mug of tea.

"Eh?" Velvet replied, utterly confused.

"Your size" Jaune repeated, setting down the mug and redoing the buttons on his oxford and vest. "Those rags you're wearing look horrible, freezing, and demeaning. You need new clothes." He pulled a comb from his pocket and carefully did his hair, making sure that his appearance was immaculate before turning around and looking back at Velvet.

"Um..." Velvet felt herself shrinking in fear. It had been so long since she had worn actual clothes, and had grown so much as well, that she had no idea what her size might be. She carefully set the mug down on the counter and backed up a half pace, slowly tensing her muscles to provide some protection from the inevitable blows...

"Ohhhhh, right..." Jaune facepalmed, internally cursing his morning brain. "You're a slave, of course you don't know your size...Well, you'll just have to come along and get fitted at the shop. We can even pick up breakfast on the way!" Jaune's face brightened at the thought of food, and he patted himself down for his wallet and lockpicks.

Velvet was startled by this reaction. She had been expecting a beating, or a sharp tug on her ears at the least. Instead, Jaune seemed completely fine with this turn of events, and even managed to find a positive in the possibility of a ready made breakfast. She was beginning to understand what Ozpin had meant by 'strange.' Jaune seemed to roll with whatever life threw at him, cheerfully accepting and making the best of his fate with simple optimism. He had also extended courtesy towards Velvet, as if he viewed her more as a friend than as a slave. She snapped out of her thoughts when Jaune politely cleared his throat.

"You ready to go?" He asked, standing by the door with a slight smile on his face. Velvet nodded, speeding over and stepping outside with him. Jaune closed the door and wiggled the lockpicks around a bit, redoing the lock. Stuffing them back into his pockets, he nodded with his head and set off down the street, Velvet close behind.

* * *

Frankly, Velvet was astounded by the city of Vale. Once they had gotten out of the red-light district where Jaune lived, they entered into a grid of wide streets bustling with dustcars flanked by equally busy sidewalks. Shops were open up and down both sides of the streets, selling everything from groceries and pharmaceuticals to refined dust and weapons. Velvet stared around her at the tall buildings, some containing apartments, others studios and other working spaces, still more housing businesses. Jaune caught her gawking and put a hand on her shoulder, asking quietly if she was alright. She nodded, and carefully kept a pace behind him as they walked through the crowd.

While they walked, she took notice of the crowd around her with sorrow. Some humans travelled alone, minding their own business while sipping coffee or checking their scrolls. Others travelled with friends, smiling and laughing together at jokes Velvet knew that she could never share. Still others had their slaves with them, forcing the faunus to carry armloads of bags. She felt sick whenever a human turned to beat their slave for tripping or dropping something or, often, for no reason at all. She wanted to reach out to them, heal their wounds and take their pain away. But she could not. She was bound to obey Jaune's will, which did not include interfering with the affairs of others.

They were once forced to stop as a young woman caused a scene, brutally beating a frightened mouse faunus over dropping something. Velvet glanced around, and noticed that all that had been dropped were a few containers of makeup. She felt a boiling sense of injustice at the situation, but knew that she was powerless to stop it. After watching the scene for maybe half a minute, Jaune stepped forward, a false smile on his face.

"Hello there" he greeted, kneeling down next to the woman, who was stradling the faunus' waist as she bludgeoned him with her handbag.

"What do you want?" she snapped, turning with eyes of fire towards Jaune.

"You're blocking the sidewalk" Jaune explained, his smile unwavering.

"He dropped my bags!" She exploded, pointing an accusatory finger at the trembling and bruised faunus.

"I see that" Jaune agreed, gathering the fallen makeup and replacing it in the bags. "And if you continue to hit him, his eyes will swell shut. You wouldn't be able to use him as a beast of burden, or anything really, until the swelling went down." The lady instantly stopped swinging her bag, both disarmed by Jaune's polite tone and frustrated by the truth of his words. Finally, she spat on the faunus' face and stood up, looking away with a huff. Jaune finished refilling the bags and handed them to the mouse faunus, who took them with muttered thanks and scurried off to rejoin his master.

Jaune motioned with a finger, and Velvet trotted up and fell into step behind him as the crowd began to move freely again. Though his face was a mask of civility, she could sense his underlying anger. His mouth barely moved, but she thought she heard something along the lines of "shallow bitch" before he completely suppressed his emotions.

Finally, they stopped in front of a small, elegant storefront, nestled quietly between a coffeehouse and a weapons emporium. Jaune glanced up at the sign, "Goodwitch Textiles, clothing for all walks of life" and stepped through the door. Velvet followed, and immediately glanced around. Mannequins were lined up along the walls, modeling several different kinds of attire. Jaune stepped up to the desk and politely tapped the bell. A few seconds later, a formidible woman, apparently the owner, came up. She was tall, blond, and thin, wore a black pencil skirt and leggings, and a frilled white blouse.

"Yes, Mr. Arc?" she asked, evidently recognizing Jaune and softening her hard demeanor with a slight smile.

"Ah, hello Ms. Goodwitch" Jaune greeted, his brilliant smile returning, genuine this time. "I have a customer for you." He gestured, and Velvet walked up to the counter as well.

"You have a slave, Mr. Arc?" Ms. Goodwitch asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Yeah" Jaune replied. "My dad apparently decided that enough was enough and bought Velvet in my name. Something about 'maintaining appearances' as the son of a war hero and senator."

"Well then" Ms. Goodwitch responded, giving a critical look at Velvet's worn garments and shuddering slightly. "You came to the right place. Right this way, Velvet. I'll have you in proper attire in no time at all." Ms. Goodwitch gestured at a door next to the counter, and Velvet glanced back at Jaune.

"Go ahead" Jaune said with a smile. "Ms. Goodwitch is the best in the business. By the way" he added, raising his voice a little as he walked towards the door, "I'll be at Oobleck's getting some breakfast, if you need me." Ms. Goodwitch nodded, and Jaune left the shop. Velvet swallowed, somewhat nervous at being left alone with the formidable Ms. Goodwitch.

"Well come along, child" Ms. Goodwitch said as she held the door open. "I can't work out here."

The next few hours were perhaps the most interesting of Velvet's entire life as a slave. First, Ms. Goodwitch had stood her up in front of a mirror, and taken innumerable measurements, noting each down with precise strokes of a pencil. Then, she had taken Velvet's previous outfit, "filthy rags" she had called them, and dumped it unceremoniously in a garbage bin. Noticing that Velvet lacked underclothes, Ms. Goodwitch provided her with some, sewing a comfortable pair on the spot. Wrapping a warm blanket around Velvet, she told the faunus girl to wait while she prepared her new set of clothes. She was back in just under an hour, with a mostly finished black dress made of serviceable cloth in hand. She pulled the garment over Velvet's head, and commenced tailoring it perfectly to Velvet's body. After many minutes of fiddling and fussing, Ms. Goodwitch left the room and returned with a much fancier dress, and she repeated the process of tailoring. Then she left Velvet with her blanket, saying that she would be back with the finished clothes soon.

She was as good as her word, and brought the simpler dress and a pair of leggings to Velvet for her to wear. Velvet thanked Ms. Goodwitch, and took up the bags that contained her fancier dress, her maid's apron, and a spare pair of leggings. Ms. Goodwitch totaled the bill for her work, handed it to Velvet, and told her that Jaune could pay it at his earliest convenience. Velvet nodded, and stepped outside. She quickly realized that she had no idea where Jaune had gone off to. He had mentioned some place named "Oobleck's", but as she had no knowledge of the city, she didn't know where to begin looking. She was about to go inside and ask Ms. Goodwitch when she heard Jaune call her name. She turned and saw him lounging at an outdoor table at the coffehouse.

"So, how'd it go?" Jaune asked once she had walked over.

"I-It was fine..." Velvet replied shyly, holding out the receipt. Jaune ran his eyes over it and nodded, stuffing it into his pocket.

"Well, that's just grand" Jaune stated cheerfully, finishing off his coffee and standing up. "Here, have a scone while I go pay this off." Velvet nodded, sitting down and watching as Jaune disappeared again into Ms. Goodwitch's shop. She quickly ate the scone in front of her, not realizing how hungry she had become while waiting for her clothes to be made. She was acutely aware of the other customers glaring at her, as if her presence was somehow disturbing. She was grateful when Jaune reappeared and told her that it was time to go.

The walk back to Jaune's house seemed to be longer than it was, primarily because the bags that Velvet held felt rather heavy. They finally arrived back at Jaune's rundown house and he effortlessly picked the lock, pushing the door open and ushering Velvet inside. She stepped in and was surprised when Jaune took one of the bags from her, digging through the contents all the way to the bottom.

"Here we go..." Jaune grinned triumphantly, pulling out socks, a tshirt, a hoodie, and a pair of jeans, all in Velvet's size. He took Velvet's other bag and handed her the casual outfit. "Why don't you put these on and meet me in the kitchen?" he said, turning and walking out with both bags on his arms.

Velvet was greatly confused. She was supposed to be Jaune's slave, so wearing attire like a maid's dress was to be expected. But jeans, a tshirt, and a hoodie? That was far from ordinary. Still, he had told her to change, so she obediently changed and folded her serviceable dress over one arm before walking into the kitchen. Jaune was busy at a closet, fiddling with hangers and clothes. Velvet came up beside him and looked inside. He had created some space to one side, enough to hang Velvet's two dresses and maid accessories.

"Ah, there you are" Jaune said, taking Velvet's dress and hanging it up next to the fancier one. "It's not much, but it works, no?"

Velvet nodded, and Jaune stood back and closed the door. She was still confused as to why he was treating her so well. Why didn't he just beat her already? Why didn't he assert his dominance as a master and reduce her to less than an animal, a being only fit to serve and obey? She knew that he probably didn't care that she had been dumped on him, he seemed far too positive, but that still didn't explain his friendliness nor his generosity. Evidently Jaune had seen her emotions playing out across her face, because he broke the silence.

"You probably have a lot of questions" he began, sounding both calm and kind. "So why don't we sit down work our way through them?" He gestured towards the living room, and Velvet quietly followed him. He climbed into the broken recliner, and Velvet took a seat on the couch.

"Ask away" Jaune said once they were both comfortable. "Any questions you want. I'll answer them as best I can."

Velvet tensed up, expecting a trap. She knew that Jaune wouldn't leave her alone until she had asked at least one question, she could see it in his eyes. However, what could she ask about her situation without giving offense? Her thoughts raced, finally settling on an innocent response.

"Wh-What are my duties here?" she asked timidly.

"Well..." Jaune replied, sitting up as best he could in the chair. "You'll have to cook for yourself when I'm at my job, but I'll take care of meals if I'm home. I don't usually make much of a mess, but if something happens or its been awhile, there's cleaning supplies under the sink. Other than that, just watch the house and find a way to amuse yourself. There's really not all that much to do. Next?"

"Do you receive many callers?" Velvet asked after a moment's thought, trying to keep her thoughts purely on work.

"We're in the middle of the red-light district" Jaune laughed. "So no, no I don't get too many visitors. Mostly Ozpin, when father feels like checking up on me." He almost spat the last sentence, but he seemed to catch himself and quickly masked his brief flash of anger before it showed. "I know you have more questions. Seriously, ask me anything."

Velvet had a hundred questions that she wanted to ask, and each one pried into Jaune's personal life. She desperately wanted answers, to end her paranoia if nothing else, but was terrified of Jaune's potential anger. As she sat debating with herself, Jaune waited patiently with a small smile, content to wait until she felt like speaking up. Finally, she did.

"Why?" was all that came out.

She wanted to know everything, why he was so kind, why he lived apart from his family, why he seemed to treat faunus like equals, why, why, why? But her mouth wouldn't move. She couldn't form the words. She was terrified of his response. What if it was all some sort of cruel joke? What if she angered him, and he took away everything he had given? What if the smile melted off of his face to be replaced with a sneer, his kind words faded into racial slurs, his comforting hug transformed into brutal blows? She felt tears welling up in her eyes, and she folded up on herself, equally terrified that her fear would provoke the same anger and hate that she had seen too many times before. She sniffled, trying to keep her tears back as she hugged her knees tightly to her chest. She distantly noticed the couch sag next to her, and a sharp pang of fear coursed through her as a hand touched her shoulder. She flinched back, but the hand returned, gently but firmly pulling her back into Jaune's arms.

"I'm sorry..." Jaune apologized, rubbing her back as he held her close. "I shouldn't have pushed you... I should've waited... I'm sorry..."

Velvet sniffled, managing to get her emotions somewhat under control. She wasn't really surprised that he had apologized, it was just another extension of his naturally kind and caring character. She slowly unfolded herself, and Jaune let go as she slipped out of his arms. They sat facing each other for several moments, neither really sure of what to say. Finally Jaune glanced at the clock, noticed the time, and swore.

"Now I'm actually going to be late!" He exclaimed, jumping up. "If you're hungry, just grab something from the fridge. I'll be back really late, so don't stay up for me."

So saying, he bolted for the door, this time managing to get it open before he smashed headlong into it, and disappeared into the evening. Velvet glanced at the clock as well, and learned that it was six fifty in the afternoon. Apparently their little trip had taken longer than she had thought. She got up and closed and locked the door that Jaune had left hanging, and then stood still, unsure of what to do with herself. Jaune hadn't given her any work to do, just instructions to feed herself if she felt hungry. She didn't yet, she she continued to stand and debate with herself. She could clean, but the house seemed to be clean already, so anything she did would only waste supplies. She could cook, but Jaune said that he would be out late, and that he usually ate at his job anyway. She could also sleep, but she was filled with a nervous energy that she couldn't shake off, so she decided to explore the house instead.

She already knew the living room very well, so she immediately went into the kitchen and took a look around. The sink was opposite the door leading in, with a dishwasher on one side and the oven on the other. Above all three was a row of cabinets that contained the dishes and glasses. The dishwasher was tucked neatly against the corner of the room, and as Velvet let her eyes run along the other wall, she saw the closet that held hers and Jaune's clothes and another door, which upon inspection led to a small but neat bathroom, with a window, a sink, a toilet, and a shower, as well as a washer and dryer. Exiting the bathroom, she glanced along the third wall, which had the doorway back to the living room and the kitchen pantry. When she finally came to the fourth wall, she saw a small fridge and freezer next to another door. She tried the handle, but it was locked. Intrigued, Velvet put her ear against it and rapped with her knuckles. Judging from the slight echo and hollowness, it led to some sort of staircase, probably to the basement.

Shrugging, Velvet left the door alone and opened the pantry. There was a loaf of bread, a few cans of soup, three boxes of tea, and a few spices here and there. Checking the fridge, she found vegetables, beer, legumes, a block of cheese, additional vegetables, a carton of eggs, and more legumes. Velvet was slightly puzzled at the lack of meat, and guessed that Jaune subscribed to a vegetarian diet. Not that she minded, of course. She vastly preferred vegetables anyway. She finally felt the pangs of hunger as she stared at the food laid out in front of her, and she pulled out a carrot, a stick of celery, and a small bowlful of mixed legumes. She munched the carrot and celery as the legumes simmered, and downed a glass of water. She ate the legumes straight from the pot, and cleaned up the very small mess before clicking off the kitchen lights.

She checked the clock as she wandered back into the living room, and it told her that it was just past eight. While she didn't feel all too tired, sleep was really the only thing left to do. She grabbed some blankets, curled up in the broken recliner, and closed her eyes. She absently cast away her sweatshirt, and sleep took her within seconds.

* * *

_[Later that night]_

Velvet awoke to the sound of lockpicks scraping against the door. They were clumsy and slow, unlike Jaune's casually confident skill, and that worried her. Finally the lock clicked, and the door swung open. Velvet tried to keep as still as possible, unable to see over the edge of the recliner. Stealthy footsteps crossed the floor, and any remaining hope Velvet had sank. Even if Jaune did sneak through his own house, he wouldn't run into absolutely every possible piece of furniture as he did so. Additionally, the half-muttered curses revealed that this man was decidedly not Jaune. Suddenly, Velvet froze, even stopping her breathing and desperately wishing that she could silence the pounding of her heart in her ears. This unknown man had bumped into the recliner. Almost as if time had slowed, she could sense his off-balance form come falling down, one hand landing solidly on her leg.

"Eh?" the voice muttered, the thin figure struggling back to its feet. Velvet instinctively curled up, which unfortunately gave away her presence and her location.

"Who're you?" the man asked, grabbing her by the leg and pulling her to the floor. She yelped, and the man laughed, a short, cruel sound.

"A woman!" he gloated, and quickly clapped a hand over her mouth. "I came looking for valuables, and got the grand prize!" He reached down and began to pull her shirt up.

Velvet began to struggle, knowing what was coming next. She was strong from working in the mines, but this man was far stronger, and he managed to pull the shirt up to her neck. He was momentarily impeded by her thrashing arms, and finally decided to simply tear the fabric. In the process, however, his hand brushed against her rabit ears, and she heard a sharp intake of breath, followed by a relieved sigh.

"You're a faunus, aren't you?" he growled, leaning down close to her ears. When Velvet didn't respond, he violently tugged her ears. "Aren't you?!" Velvet whimpered behind his restricting hand, and quickly nodded.

"Well then..." the voice growled, sounding like a predator that had cornered its prey. "You're going to submit quietly to this, you hear? One scream for help, any resistance at all, and you'll pay with your life. Understand?" Velvet nodded again, her hands going limp as tears began to well up in her eyes. It wouldn't be the first time this had happened to her.

"Where are the damn lights..." the man mused, glancing around in the near blackness. "You, coney! Tell me or I'll..." Velvet pointed before he could finish his sentence, and though he had to squint to see, he got the message and got up to flick them on.

Velvet blinked, her sensitive eyes taking a little longer to adjust to the brightness. When they had, she looked at her assailant, covering herself as she did so. He was tall and skinny, wearing a vest over a tshirt with the sleeves cut off. He wore his hair in a green mohawk, and his face had a permanent look of unsatiated hunger. He turned back to face her, and a wolfish grin spread across his lips. He strode forward, grabbing her wrists and pinning them above her head to the wall. She felt him fumble one handed at her jeans, and she closed her eyes. She willed her mind elsewhere, to ignore her senses and forget the present. She felt a slight chill roll across her, and she redoubled her efforts.

Then the pressure on her wrists suddenly disappeared, and she heard choking and the scrabbling of feet on the floor. Opening her eyes, she saw her assailant being dragged off of her, an arm wrapped firmly around his neck. The man desperately clawed at the arm, his face turning red as the flow of blood to his brain was cut off. Finally, his eyes rolled back in his head, and the arm dropped him as he went limp. Velvet gazed up at her savior, who was a blond wearing dress pants, an oxford shirt, and a vest. It was Jaune. Immediately he was by her side, asking if she was alright, if he had actually raped her, etc. She was about to throw her arms around him when she saw her assailant struggling to his hands and knees, drawing a knife from somewhere about his person.

"Th-this isn't over..." he choked, stumbling forward from a crouch. Jaune turned and swatted the knife arm away, gripping the man's throat with his free hand. He stood and pushed the off-balance man back until he was against the opposite wall. Jaune wrenched the knife from his hand and cast it down, before gripping the man's arm and flipping him around to face the wall.

"I will ask you one last time, Velvet" Jaune said, his voice frightfully calm as he ground the man's face against the wall. "Did he rape you?

"N-no..." Velvet replied, her voice nearly silent as she covered herself with her hands.

"Very well then" Jaune said, his voice still calm. "Today's your lucky day, you bastard." Jaune pulled back and slammed the man's head against the wall, ignoring his muffled shout of pain and protest.

"Since you didn't actually get around to it..." Jaune pulled the man back and hurled him to the ground, where he viciously kicked the man's jaw. "I won't break anything. Now get the fuck out!" He pointed with one hand toward the door.

The man, spitting blood, chose to uppercut Jaune as he rose. Jaune slipped to the side, and pounded the man in the kidneys. Once, twice, three times. The man doubled over as he clutched his side, and Jaune grabbed him behind the head with both hands, locking his arms around his neck. He then proceeded to knee the man in the face. He let go after the fourth blow, and the man stumbled back, cursing. As he straightened up, he was met by a snap kick from Jaune, and he crashed into the door.

"Now leave" Jaune threatened as he settled into an aggressive stance, anger finally slipping into his voice and slightly clouding his face

"You haven't heard the last of this!" the man claimed, fumbling with the door. Without waiting for a reply, he slipped out into the darkness.

Jaune relaxed and went over to the door, closing and locking it. He turned around, and blushed slightly when he saw Velvet mostly unclothed. He was about to tell her to get dressed, when he also noticed that she was staring at him with wide, fearful eyes. He glanced down at himself, and noted that he had gotten small amounts of blood on his shoes, one of his pant knees, and the inner sides of both of his sleeves. He took a step forward, and she shrank back into the ground, beginning to tremble. He paused, picked up her sweatshirt, and continued walking forward. Velvet kept shrinking farther and farther into the ground, looking like she wanted nothing more than for it to swallow her whole.

Jaune held out the sweatshirt, and after a few moments, Velvet extended a shaking hand to take it. He stood up and walked into the bathroom, where he changed and began scrubbing his clothes. He worked industriously and had the stains out in a matter of minutes. When he returned to the living room, he saw that Velvet was kneeling on the floor, now fully dressed. She bowed as he entered the room, nearly touching her head against the floor.

"F-Forgive me..." she squeaked out, sounding utterly terrified. "I w-wasn't strong enough to k-keep him from entering, a-and I c-caused you trouble in saving me. Wh-What is my p-punishment?

She was having difficulty keeping her voice steady, and she feared that even this small transgression would worsen her fate. She had been so willing to believe that Jaune was a nice person, that he really cared. But now, she knew that he could remain utterly calm while beating someone down, keep his face impassive and emotionless as he spilled their blood. Blood that she would probably have to clean up, perhaps with inadequate tools. She would be kept at it until every last stain was gone, with no food water or rest. Her life would return to normal, with beatings and harsh words, all thoughts and gestures of kindness gone...

Jaune seethed inwardly, furious that Velvet had been abused to the point where she accepted responsibility for events beyond her control. He hated the injustice and violence that was daily inflicted on the faunus, hated the cruelty and the racism that seemed to pervade all of humanity. He hated how much a single, influential man with a vendetta could influence society. He hated it, every last bit of it with every fiber of his being. His mind turned towards the locked basement and the secrets it contained... No, now was not the time for such thoughts. Right now he needed to comfort the shaking wreck in front of him, undo the damage he had caused as best he could.

He knelt down next to Velvet and put his arms around her, pulling her into a close embrace. She stiffened noticeably at the contact, and a single tear rolled down her cheek. Jaune ran a hand down her hair and back, rocking them back and forth. He could feel her rapid heartbeat against his chest, and he whispered in her ear.

"It's okay... It was beyond your control... He can't hurt you now..." Jaune quietly hummed a lullaby, continuing to rub Velvet's back. "I'm sorry for the violence... I promise, I will never hurt you... I will never vent my anger on you... I will keep you safe, no matter what..."

Velvet cried. She had been alone for so long. The war had taken her father and uncle, slavery had separated her from her mother, and there was no comfort to be found in the mining barracks. Humans had beaten her, raped her, had reduced her to less than an animal. She had tried to hide deep within herself, to shut out the world of pain that she lived in, but she could not. She was too caring and kind to close her eyes to the suffering around her, and it broke her heart daily to see the cruelty inflicted on her fellow slaves.

But now Jaune Arc, son of the infamous General Arc, had shown her kindness, compassion. He had treated her more as an equal than as a slave, and was now promising that she would never have to be hurt again. His words rang with sincerity and conviction, as if he was making a solemn vow that was never to be broken. She tentatively slipped her arms around Jaune, and kept them there when he held her even closer. She nuzzled against him as she cried, and felt warmth beginning to spread through her body. It was a soothing, sweet warmth, one that seemed to have nothing to do with temperature or their closeness. Without even realizing it, her eyelids drooped, and sleepiness overtook her. She was only vaguely aware of Jaune carrying her over to the couch and tucking her in. As her consciousness finally slipped away, she could barely remember why she had been crying in the first place.

Jaune stood next to the sleeping Velvet, a faint white glow slowly dissipating from around his hands. He felt guilty about using his aura to calm her down, but she needed rest, preferably a long sleep uninterrupted by reality and dreams. He glanced over at the coffee table, where the packet of Velvet's papers still lay. Curious, he picked it up and sat down in the recliner. He flicked the packet open and began scanning the pages. The cover had a name, a picture, and an ID number, as well as Jaune's name and address. He turned the page and read a brief list of her owners.

_Schnee Mansion, three months as a maid. Transferred to Schnee Dust Company, Vale for "inferior service". One year, seven months as a miner. Sold to Jaune Arc for 5000 Lien, custody of Ozpin._

Ozpin's signature followed his name, as did the company foreman's that had sold her. Jaune continued scanning the pages, before stopping dead at the medical report.

_Patient has shown compassionate tendencies to fellow slaves, as well as flawless obedience to her masters. Patient is in acceptable health, though prone to emotional breakdowns if subjected to extended physical abuse. Verbal reinforcement is sufficient to form or break habits as desired. Patient has been raped, and carried a child for 60 days before a forced abortion was performed. Test results confirm that the procedure has left the patient barren. Blood type..._

Jaune couldn't read any more. He felt sick, how could someone be so clinically detached as to write about another as a mere "patient"? How could they casually mention life-changing events in less than a sentence, and move on without a care? He crumpled the documents in his fist, wishing that they were the head of the attempted rapist. He tossed them into the garbage bin, and stood up. He looked at Velvet, sleeping peacefully under the effects of his aura. He pulled out his cellphone and selected the first number from speed dial, walking out of the room so as not to disturb Velvet.

"...Hello and thank you for calling The Beacon Tavern, how may I help you?" The voice on the other end had a sort of forced cheer, the kind often found in seriously overworked employees in the service industry.

"Hey, Sun? That you?" Jaune asked, pulling out a key and opening the basement door.

"Mr. Arc! What can I do for you sir?" Sun's voice instantly had genuine enthusiasm, though it was laced with worry over the lateness of the hour.

"Put Qrow on the line" Jaune said grimly, descending the staircase. "We have a few things to discuss..."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Yay! Chapter 2! So yeah, not much to say other than that chapters three will finish up the exoposition, and then let the action and plot begin! R&R, favorite, hate, follow or flame, and as always, have a great week:)


	3. The Beacon Tavern

**Chapter 3 The Beacon Tavern**

For the second day in a row, Velvet was awakened by the droning of Jaune's infernal alarm clock, and the amusing crash he made as he fell trying to turn it off. She felt different, as if something had changed overnight. As she stretched and got up from the couch, smiling as Jaune fumbled his way into the bathroom, she realized what it was. She wasn't sore. Her muscles weren't tired, her back didn't ache. Even the old scars on her hands seemed lighter, and she felt somehow uplifted, even cheerful. It was a little disconcerting, but she didn't really care. She stepped into the kitchen as Jaune came out of the bathroom, looking a little better in his dress clothes. He muttered a good morning, and put on the tea kettle. As they waited for it to boil, something important seemed to occur to Jaune.

"Hey, Velvet" he began, covering a yawn as he leaned against the countertop. "Since there isn't really all that much to do around the house, you'll get bored pretty quickly, no?" Velvet nodded, knowing it to be true but unsure of where he was going.

"Well" he continued, glancing at the pot. "If you want, I can easily get you a job where I work, with identical hours. It's food prep at the Beacon Tavern, but it's easy and a great chance to socialize."

"Then who will watch the house?" Velvet asked, curious about this sudden change.

"It's watched itself pretty well for the past four years" Jaune told her, glancing around. "Though really, it could burn down for all I care. I don't have too many valuables, and besides, it's more important to take care of people than things." He gave her a meaningful look, and Velvet understood. This was his way of making sure that he could be near her, to make good on his promise to take of her. She smiled, her unusual cheer making her bold. Jaune smiled back, and poured the tea.

Ten minutes and an outfit change later, Jaune and Velvet were walking down the street, he in his usual dress clothes and she in her serviceable black dress. They followed more or less the same route that they had taken last time, except that they stopped before they entered Vale proper. The Beacon Tavern was a well built pub, which managed to look reputable and clean while still being very much so a part of the red-light district. Velvet could see prostitutes and pimps rubbing shoulders with some of the more respected citizens of Vale, all welcome to come and spend their money, as long as crime and violence were kept well away. The last time a gang had tried to rob the Tavern, Jaune told her, the owner Qrow had sent them home with missing teeth, deep scars, and more than a few shattered bones. As they stepped inside, they were greeted cheerfully by the bartender, a tan blond man with toned arms and a winning smile. He wore the same outfit as Jaune, minus the vest.

"Mr. Arc!" he called, opening his arms wide. Jaune laughed and easily vaulted the bar, and the two pulled each other into a brohug.

"Sun, ya devilish bastard!" Jaune replied as the two pulled apart, grinning.

"So, who's the pretty lady you brought, hmm?" Sun asked, nudging Jaune in the side and giving a wink. "Not cheating now, are we?"

"I don't think _she_ would care all too much" Jaune said, apparently referencing someone other than Velvet. "But her father? The mere thought gives me nightmares. No, she's not my girlfriend. Sun, this is Velvet, the slave that my father decided to buy for me. Velvet, this is Sun Wukong, my fellow bartender here at the Beacon Tavern."

"Hello" Velvet greeted, waving a little. Sun's jaw dropped.

"Marry me?" he asked, having somehow appeared on one knee in front of her. He flashed his dazzling white smile, sparkles seeming to hover gently in the now rosy background. He opened his mouth to say more, but he was interrupted by a violent cry from the back.

"WUKONG!" a man's voice shouted, sounding gravelly and grizzled. "I _KNOW_ YOU'RE FLIRTING OUT THERE!"

"SORRY QROW!" Sun shouted back, standing up as the sparkles and background faded into nothingness. "BUT THE NEW HIRE IS REALLY CUTE!" Velvet blushed furiously, and Jaune laughed.

"Don't worry about it, Velvet" Jaune told her, still laughing. "Sun falls in love about twenty times a day."

"I do not!" Sun denied, amused.

"Really?" Jaune shot back, a grin on his face and his eyebrows in the stratosphere.

"...Maybe ten times?" Sun offered, more questioning than asserting.

"It's at least fifteen" Jaune countered, far more confidently.

"DO YOUR DAMN JOBS OR GO HOME!" the gravelly voice came again from the back of the pub, frustrated but amused.

"Sir Yes Sir!" the two boys declared in unison, the whole affair drawing a few giggles from the few customers that were in for an early breakfast.

"See you at lunch?" Jaune asked from behind the bar, straightening his collar and throwing one last glance at Sun.

"Yep" Sun replied, backing out of the door with a wave. "See ya then."

"Just go in the back, Velvet" Jaune said, turning his attention to a customer. "He'll show you around."

Velvet nodded and went around to the side of the bar, slipping through the gate and pushing open the door that lead to the kitchen. It was a small, clean affair, with a clear pathway made through the various cookers and tables and utensils hung or laid out neatly. Bacon and eggs were much in evidence, as were pancakes and waffles. However, there were a few odd quirks about this particular kitchen. First, even though by scent there should be three people here, Velvet could only see two. One was a tall, curvy girl, her massive mane of blond hair completely unchecked as she balanced trays of food on her arms. She wore dress pants and a blouse that showed off her ample cleavage, and she flashed Velvet a toothy grin before backing out of the kitchen to deliver orders. The other person was a tall, dark haired man, presumably Qrow, dressed in a black chef's outfit, his muscled frame effortlessly tending to ten burners' worth of food. He had his back to Velvet, but acknowledged her presence with a brief grunt.

The other quirk about the kitchen was that food seemed to move by itself, appearing seemingly from nowhere on cutting boards or in bowls, all of which were near at hand to Qrow, who used them to replenish the emptying skillets and griddles he tended. When it moved, there was an accompanying woosh of air, which revealed the third quirk. Rose petals littered the floor, being kicked up by each breath of air. They were mostly a brilliant red, but was a share of midnight black ones as well. Finally, the indoor wind stopped blowing and, in its place, a teenaged girl stood, munching a handful of cookies with apparent bliss. She was a little shorter than Velvet, with shoulder length black hair that blended into red at the tips, and she wore a white chef's outfit.

"Ruby..." the man said, his voice telling Velvet that he was indeed Qrow, "If you keep eating cookies, you'll get cavities before the day is out."

"But Uuuuunnnnnncle!" Ruby complained cutely, sounding somewhat like a begging puppy, "Your cookies are the beeeeeeeest!"

"Hmmph" Qrow grunted, though Velvet saw a corner of his mouth twitch. "Well, if you want to be useful, you can show our new hire, Velvet, around the shop."

"Alright!" Ruby cheered enthusiastically, throwing a fist up in the air.

"Hiya, Velvet, I'm Ruby!" the enthusiastic younger girl greeted, holding out her hand for Velvet to shake.

"Hello..." Velvet replied, unsure what to make of Ruby as she took her hand.

"Well, welcome to the Beacon Tavern!" Ruby began, leading Velvet around the kitchen. "This is the kitchen, obviously, where Qrow works his magic with food! And over here is the cellar, where we keep all the alcohol. And over here is the freezer/fridge, which is huge! You can walk around in there, and find everything you need to make a feast for a king!"

"Including the king..." Qrow chuckled from behind them, and Ruby joined in. Apparently, it was some sort of long-running joke between the two.

"Including the king!" Ruby echoed, still chuckling. "So, Qrow told me all about it when I came in today! You're going to be working with my sis, Yang, taking orders and bussing tables!"

"Alright..." Velvet said, nodding. She had tolerable handwriting, and she desperately hoped that it would be enough for Qrow and the others.

"Eh-eh-eh!" Ruby exclaimed, getting in front of Velvet. "No lack in self-confidence is allowed! First rule as a waiter! And don't worry about anything, we're all like Jaune here, and if a customer mistreats you, just tell Yang, alright?" Ruby had a massive grin on her face, and her enthusiasm was infectious.

"What will she...?" Velvet began to ask.

"Throw them out on their face" Ruby replied offhandedly. "They usually don't try to come back for more. So, here's your pad and pencil, now go have fun!"

Ruby pushed her lightly back through the door, and Velvet stumbled into the bar. She glanced around nervously, what was the next step? Fortunately, she was spared much mental agony by the appearance of the blond bombshell.

"Hey, you Velvet?" she asked, flashing another toothy grin. When Velvet nodded, she continued, "I'm Yang, and from that pad I'm gonna assume that Qrow has you waiting tables?" Again she waited until Velvet nodded. "Cool. So, all ya gotta know is that you handle those tables over there. If new customers come and sit down, walk up after they've had a chance to glance at the menu and ask them what they'd like. Take the order down and just throw the paper into the kitchen. Ruby'll catch it, and the order will be ready in no time. Then Ruby or Qrow will hand you the dishes, and you just take 'em out to the guests. When they're done, just hand over the bill and they'll hand you the cash. If a customer flags you down, just walk over and they'll tell you what they need. When the customers leave, just grab the dishes and bring 'em back to the kitchen, where Ruby'll be washing. I'll take care of the resetting. Anyone mistreats you, tell me and I'll set 'em straight. Got all that?"

Velvet nodded, though her head was spinning from Yang's quick speech and the sheer amount of information that she had to process. Yang flashed her another quick grin before disappearing back into the kitchen. Velvet stood against the bar, nervously glancing over at the section that she had been assigned. So far, no one was sitting there. She felt a little overwhelmed, and fought to keep her anxiety down. Still, Qrow and his employees seemed like nice people. Like Jaune, they had so far treated her like a person, not a slave. Also like Jaune, they all seemed to have a positive outlook on life. She paused in her thoughts as she glanced over at Jaune, who was grinning as he served breakfast to those who chose to eat at the bar. His casual confidence gave her a small smile, and she resolved to be the best waitress in the history of the Tavern. She had to repay him somehow for his generosity.

"Look sharp, Velvet!" Yang suggested, breezing past her with more food trays. "You've got customers!" Velvet glanced over and noticed a balding old man sitting at a table in her area, calmly alternating between reading the menu and gazing around with his slitlike eyes. Velvet gave him thirty seconds before she walked up to him.

"Good morning, sir" she greeted, bowing. "What may I get for you today?"

"Ah, hello" The old man replied, sounding his age. "I'll have an eggwhite omelet, please. And a half of Qrow's best." Velvet nodded, noting the order down in her pad before bowing again and walking back towards the kitchen.

_That wasn't too bad..._ She told herself as she ripped the page out and held it in her hand. Ruby swept past her, taking the order and returning after a minute with a filled plate and silverware, along with the bill.

"Just ask Jaune for the half!" Ruby told her before disappearing in another shower of rose petals. Velvet nodded and stepped out, tapping Jaune on the shoulder.

"A half of Qrow's best?" she asked. Jaune nodded, grabbing a beer glass and filling it expertly. He handed it to her, and she walked back over to the man.

"I hope you enjoy, sir" she said, setting down his food.

"Thank you, child" he replied, smiling as he picked up his fork. Velvet returned when he was finished to present him with the bill, and he promptly handed her some lien.

"Sir..." she interrupted as he was about to leave, holding out a much smaller amount of lien. "Your change?"

"Keep it" he said, waving back at her before he exited. Velvet was surprised, someone would give a faunus waitress a tip? Shrugging it off, she handed all the money to Jaune, who put the bill in the register and pocketed the tip with a wink.

Velvet returned to watching for customers, made confident by the kind old man. She quickly learned that he was an anomaly. While most of her customers seemed to be indifferent about having a faunus waitress, they still spoke to her condescendingly, and none handed out tips. There were a few others like the old man, most of whom were old themselves. They seemed to find her cute, and were willing to part with a little extra lien to see her smile at receiving a tip. Then, there were the racists. The politest of them asked for a different server, and Velvet called Yang over, who took their orders with a smile. The worst glared at her and walked out, turning their noses up at an establishment that allowed a faunus to actually be near food that was being prepared for humans.

Finally, the lunchtime break rolled around and Qrow temporarily closed the Tavern, allowing everyone to rest their legs and arms. Sun walked in, and joined the rest as they all sat down to a delicious meal of breakfast leftovers. Everyone was chatting amicably, passing food around, swapping jokes, and generally enjoying themselves. Everyone except Velvet. Of the five other employees, she only knew Jaune, and as he was busy arm-wrestling with Yang (and losing heavily), Velvet instead turned her attention towards the tv that hung above the bar. It was tuned to the local news, and some female reporter was speaking.

"...Today, the Vale PD has confirmed that, on the heels of an upswing in organized crime throughout Vale, there has been similar rise in cases of vigilante justice. The most recent case involved one Russel Thrush, an escaped felon who was found tied up behind the Police Precinct just this morning." The broadcast shifted to a view of Russel, and Velvet shivered as she recognized the man who had assaulted her the previous night.

"Thrush, who is wanted for armed robbery, rape, jumping bail, and escaping prison, fervently told the police who found him that he had been attacked by someone who called himself 'Paladin.' While Thrush could offer few details on the appearance of this 'Paladin,' he was hardly the vigilante's first target. Previous marks claim that this vigilante is male, wears plate armor, carries an unmarked sword and shield, and covers his head with a ski mask. To date, five separate criminals have been caught and turned in by this mysterious 'Paladin.' While the Vale Police are happy to have Thrush behind bars, they also wish to remind the citizens that vigilante justice is dangerous and, more importantly, illegal." The broadcast cut to an interview with the Vale Police Chief.

"While I commend the spirit behind this 'Paladin's actions" he said, speaking through a microphone to a crowd of reporters. "I cannot commend the actions themselves. This man is taking the law into his own hands, an act that undermines our justice system and impedes the efforts of law enforcement. I do not like the precedent that 'Paladin' is setting. If one man can wander the streets turning in criminals without being held responsible for his actions, what is to stop anyone else from doing the same? Vigilantism is considered to be assault, and thus is a crime. I implore all law-abiding citizens of this great city, trust in the Police Department. We are here to keep your streets safe, and we do our job responsibly. Vigilates, I now speak directly to you. I deliver a direct warning. I will have no tolerance for your actions within this great city, no matter how courageous or useful. You are crime-scenes waiting to happen, walking time bombs of violence. I will give you one day, one day to clear off of these streets. After that, my specialists will be turned loose to hunt you and your victims down."

The broadcast shifted back to the female reporter, who began talking about some other topic. Velvet sat there, stunned. It was an amazing coincidence that, the very night that he had assaulted her, Russel had been caught and brought in. She glanced over at Jaune, who hadn't seemed to notice the news, as he was now locked in a thumb war with Sun. The two were frowning in intense concentration at their interlocked hands, their thumbs darting around viciously. She felt a set of eyes on her, and turned to meet them.

They were a faded silvery grey, and they belonged to Qrow. It was the first time she had seen his face. It was rugged and weatherbeaten, with a few wrinkles beginning to show. His black goatee was sprinkled with white hairs, and his expression was enigmatic. He looked timeless, as if he had seen endless wonders and horrors, and had accepted the knowledge that he would probably live to see far too many more. He smiled slightly at her, a melancholy expression, before returning his attention to his food.

"Alright..." Qrow announced several minutes later, his gravelly voice quiet yet cutting through all conversation. Everyone instantly gave him their full attention. "I'd like to make a toast, to our newest hire and member of the family, Velvet Scarlatina!"

"TO VELVET!" Everyone chorused, raising their glasses to Velvet before draining them in a single gulp. Velvet stared around at them, surprised at all the welcoming smiles and friendly cheers.

"To her industry and her humility!" Yang cried after the glasses were refilled, and everyone drained them again with a chorus of "Hear! Hear!"

"To her sweet tooth and good health!" Ruby added enthusiastically, and everyone drained a third class with another chorus.

"To her beautiful eyes and handsome bus-" Sun began, before Jaune's glass shattered over his head, spraying soda everywhere.

"Pervert!" Jaune challenged with a grin, diving over the table and tussling good-naturedly with Sun.

"Help! Help!" Sun mockingly cried stretching a hand out to Velvet as he lay panting on the floor. "Get your owner off me!" Everyone laughed at the friendly tussle, and Velvet stuttered in embarrassment.

"You've had this coming for a long time, Sun" Ruby wheezed, rolling on the floor from laughing so hard. "Jaune's tolerated your flirting for awhile now, but you went to far with Velvet!"

"Yeah, get'im Jauney boy!" Yang added, leaning back in her chair with a smirk. "Show him not to mess with his girlfriend's tender heart!" The two boys stopped tussling briefly to stare up at Yang.

"Even you, Yang?" Sun complained with a smile on his face.

"You, tender-hearted?" Jaune asked, smirking. "Ridiculous. Why, only last month you cornered me an-" Yang hurled herself into the fight, blushing slightly as she pummeled the two boys.

After Qrow had finally broken up the young adults, the six people put the Tavern back in order and reopened for the dinner customers. Since Jaune didn't work the evening or night shifts that day, he and Velvet took their leave, waving goodbye over their shoulders. They walked side by side down the street as Jaune led the way back to the apartment. The evening sun bathed the surrounding buildings in soft yellow and orange hues, giving even this rundown and seedy section of Vale a pleasant appearance. Velvet found herself reflecting on the day. She had been surrounded by kind, positive people. Every last one of them had treated her as an equal, not as a slave. She felt like the luckiest faunus in the world. She had a kind and compassionate master, she had a friendly workplace, and everything seemed to be looking up. Now if only she could share this happiness with all faunus...

* * *

_[Rooftop helipad of the Vale Police Department Tower]_

"Welcome to Vale, Sir!" An officer greeted, saluting as the new arrivals stepped down from their transport.

One was tall and thin, wearing a black military uniform that was sparsely decorated, save for a green lotus insignia emblazoned on his shoulder. His long black hair was pulled into a ponytail, letting only his bangs float freely around his violet eyes. A single lock of hair was died bright pink, and it hung low over his left eye. He was apparently unarmed, but walked with a level of grace and precision only attained by the best of dancers...and the most dangerous of martial artists. His face was expressionless yet attentive, and he nodded at the officer in response to his salute.

His companion, on the other hand, was his polar opposite. She dressed in the same black outfit, except hers had a pink hammer and lightning emblem on the shoulder and a decidedly unmilitary heart-shaped cutout just over her cleavage. She had orangeish red hair, cut close to her shoulders and mostly covered by her black military cap. A pink bandolier ran across her chest and clipped at one hip to her equally pink belt, holding what looked to be silvery canisters with hearts painted on the ends. A massive warhammer hung from her back, managing to look terrifying as she skipped after her partner, her turquoise eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Mr. Lie" The chief of the Vale Police greeted holding out his hand to shake. "To what do we owe this unexpected honor?"

"You have a vigilante problem" Lie Ren replied, nodding at the chief while keeping his hands folded at the small of his back. His partner, however, eagerly shook the chief's hand with great enthusiasm.

"Indeed..." the chief agreed, taking back his hand after a few seconds with a grimace. "But we only requested a few troops to help discourage their excursions, we were not expecting a member of the VCT Corps."

"Intelligence indicates that your 'vigilantes' might be more than they seem" Lie Ren replied. "The government is considering your request and sent us ahead of any troops that they decide to donate." The chief nodded his head in acceptance.

"We will require complete access to your network" Ren continued, his tone and manner businesslike. "Security feeds, radio frequencies, lists of undercover agents and informants, the works. With any luck, our job will be over in a few days and you'll get your troops."

"Of course, sir" the chief agreed, nodding again as the chopper took off in the background. "Everything will be at your disposal. Do you have arrangements for staying in Vale? If not, I can put you up in rooms at the-"

"Thank you, but no" Ren cut him off. "Miss Valkyrie and I wish to maintain a low profile for now, so the barracks here will be more than enough." Ren gave the chief a significant look, and he understood himself to be dismissed. He and the few other officers on the roof instantly cleared out, leaving the two military people alone. Ren casually paced over to the edge of the rooftop, gazing out over the city of Vale.

"Such waste..." he muttered, criticizing the lights and buildings spread out before him.

"Hmm?" his partner, Nora Valkyrie, asked, looping her arms casually around his neck from behind and resting her chin on his shoulder.

"Nothing, Nora" Ren replied, unhooking one of his hands to reach up and stroke Nora's cheek. "Just cynicism." Nora hummed, enjoying the close contact and nuzzling closer to him. Ren almost smiled at this response, almost. He gazed out again over the city, noting how peaceful everything looked from nearly three hundred feet up, and how violent the alleyways and backstreets of such a city could be.

_Who are you? _He thought to himself._ People so dangerous as to warrant the Vytal Counter-Terrorism Corps involvement?_ The city refused to answer him, simply gleaming and twinkling in the night, an unsolvable labyrinth of light and dark.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Hey guys! Just a general statement of affairs here. I'm planning on a chapter maybe once every few days, though I do have an event coming up on the sixth that will probably throw me off track for awhile. Still, I won't stop working on my fics, so just stay tuned:) So, R&R, love, favorite, hate, follow or flame, and as always, have a great week:)


	4. The Graveyard Shift

**The Graveyard Shift**

For the third day in a row, Velvet was awakened by the buzzing of Jaune's alarm clock. Strangely, it wasn't stopped after a few seconds by Jaune's usual groan and crash. As the droning continued for about a minute, she finally opened her eyes and glanced over at the couch. The alarm was indeed going off, but Jaune was missing. She pushed back a sudden spike of fear and turned the alarm off herself. There had to be a rational explanation for this, right? Jaune wouldn't just leave her alone, he had proved that yesterday by getting her a job and keeping an eye on her well-being. As she ran through various scenarios in her head, she became aware of the sound of running water. Curious, she glanced into the kitchen and noticed that the bathroom door was closed, with light peeking out through the crack. Velvet sighed in relief, and sat back down in the broken recliner, content to wait patiently until Jaune had finished with whatever he was doing.

The water stopped a minute or so later, and Jaune emerged soon after, wearing only his jeans as he toweled his hair dry. Velvet blushed at this unsolicited view of Jaune. He didn't look it while dressed, but he had an impressive collection of muscles. He was lean and wiry, with each muscle clearly defined from its fellows by little dips and curves of the skin. He finally noticed that she was looking at him, and he grinned slightly, pulling the towel around his shoulders.

"You want a shower?" he asked, walking over to the stove and putting the kettle on. Velvet looked at him strangely, but not as strangely as before. Most people either never washed their faunus, or did so with a garden hose. Still, this was Jaune, and if he was offering her a shower, then he meant it.

"Sure?" she responded, and Jaune smiled.

"There should be a few spare towels in the closet" he told her. "But you'll be stuck with my soap and shampoo, until we can get some for you." Velvet nodded, and stepped into the bathroom.

After a few seconds of looking around, she found a spare set of towels, and stripped out of her clothes. She stepped into the shower, which was still damp, and slowly turned the faucet. The water hit her seconds later, mercifully still warm from Jaune's shower. A sigh escaped her lips, she had forgotten just how good it felt to stand under warm, running water! Even though she could have stood there all day in bliss, she didn't want to tread on Jaune's generosity, so she glanced around for the soap and shampoo. She found them, and gave her hair a quick rinse before lathering it, enjoying the acts and sensations that she had not known for well over two years now. She rinsed out her hair thoroughly, deciding that once was enough, and reached for the soap. Smearing some on a washcloth, she commenced cleaning herself.

Once she was done, she quickly turned the water off, but remained standing in the pocket of steamy air held in by the curtain. She was clean. Actually clean. A state of being that she had not truly been in for so long, that she felt almost vulnerable without a protective layer or two of dirt or filth. She giggled a little at the nonsense of that emotion. As long as Jaune was with her, she knew that she had nothing to fear.

Reluctantly, she pulled back the curtain and stepped back into the bathroom, which seemed almost arctic in temperature by comparison. She toweled herself dry as quickly as possible, slipping back into her jeans and sweatshirt before wrapping the towel around her hair. She went back into the kitchen, where Jaune, now fully dressed, was sipping a mug of tea. He gestured towards a second steaming mug on the counter, and she took it with a smile. Very few words were spoken during their liquid breakfast, just a statement by Jaune that he would leave her alone while she changed, and an apology that the hair dryer was broken.

She nodded and changed into her serviceable black dress. They set out after she was done and when they arrived, they resumed their jobs. Jaune stood at the bar, joined this time by Sun, and the two served breakfast to those who preferred the banter of a bartender over the quiet of a table. Ruby and Qrow cooked mountains of food in perfect harmony, while Velvet and Yang waited tables. Velvet met the same kind old man, who smiled at seeing her again. He ordered the same breakfast of an eggwhite omelet and a half of beer, and tipped her again, a little more generously this time. Velvet smiled and bowed him out, grateful that he too was a decent person.

In all, Velvet served maybe thirty customers before the lunchtime break was called, and the usual chaos erupted between Jaune, Sun, and Yang. Qrow watched in amusement as they tussled and argued, but finally he spoke up.

"Hey, Jaune" he said, his voice managing to silence everyone at the table. "You haven't forgotten about the chartered gig tonight, have you? I really need you on the graveyard shift."

"Sure, sure. Anything I should bring?" Jaune repeated nonchalantly, though Velvet could have sworn that his eyes narrowed slightly.

"Just the usual" Qrow replied, turning back to his food. Jaune, seeing that Velvet was very confused by the conversation, explained.

"The graveyard shift is our little nickname for the wee hours of the morning when most chartered gigs end" he said. "It's more of a clean up and sterilization time than anything else. It's not hard, but it requires sitting through a raucous party. You'd absoulutely hate it, trust me." Velvet nodded, a little worried that Jaune would be leaving her alone during the night.

"You'll be fine" Jaune reassured her, patting her shoulder. "Word usually gets around when someone fails in crime. The house should be safe for a while." While Velvet had no idea if this was true or not, Jaune's pleasant tone and sincere eyes were more than enough to convince her. She nodded again, and tucked into her delicious lunch.

* * *

Jaune and Velvet left immediately after the lunch break, Qrow giving them the afternoon off so that Jaune could sleep before he had to work again. As they approached the house, Jaune momentarily paused. Following his eyes, Velvet saw a familiar car parked outside. Jaune stepped up to the door and pulled out his lockpicks, but it swung open before he could use them.

"Welcome home, Mr. Arc" Ozpin said, placing a hand over his heart and bowing slightly.

"Ozpin" Jaune replied, putting his lockpicks away and stepping inside. Velvet followed, and Ozpin shut the door behind them.

"Would you like a drink, sir?" Ozpin asked, watching as Jaune threw himself down casually on the recliner.

"No, but I would like to know why you're here" Jaune returned, putting his feet up and folding his hands behind his head.

"There is to be an informal party among Vale's elite" Ozpin explained, seemingly unfazed by Jaune's directness. "Your father wishes you to attend."

"So, he wants to show off the fact he's finally gotten some control over me, the black sheep of the family?" Jaune smirked.

"That isn't how I would have put it" Ozpin replied. "But yes, that is basically correct. Additionally, I happened to read some of Mr. Arc's mail recently. It seems as though he is quite fed up with your lack of progress with your fiancée, sentiments shared by her father. Seeing as she will be there, it will be an excellent opportunity to..."

"To somehow convince ourselves that this _isn't_ an arranged marraige?" Jaune interrupted, unamused. "Astor can burn in hell, for all I care. Him and my father."

"You can pass those sentiments on yourself, then" Ozpin continued, taking Jaune's venom in stride. "The party is to be this evening, and is expected to run late. I, of course, will be your chauffeur, and Miss Scarlatina your valet. I assume that she has more...suitable...attire?"

"Yes Ozpin, she does" Jaune replied, pulling out his cell phone. "Why don't you get Velvet a drink or something while I rearrange my hours with Qrow..." Ozpin nodded.

"Well, Miss Scarlatina?" Ozpin asked politely. "Would you like something to eat or drink?" Velvet shook her head, confused as to why Ozpin refered to her by her surname.

Slaves were always refered to by their given name only, except when two shared the same name. Sadly, most weren't given even this luxury and were required to respond to calls of "you" or "slave" or "filthy animal," often accompanied by a pointing finger and blows if they were too slow.

"Why do you call me 'miss'?" Velvet asked, the relaxed atmosphere of Jaune's ownership making her more confident.

"You are Mr. Arc's personal slave" Ozpin explained neutrally. "And, as his only slave or servant, you are technically his chief of staff. As I hold a similar position in the main Arc household, it is to be expected that there is some level of respect between us."

"Oh" was all that Velvet could say. She had not expected such a practical response, nor had she known that her position as Jaune's only slave or servant granted her some respect. In the unlikely event that Jaune took more servants or slaves on, she would have to know the chain of authority like the back of her hand.

"Could you teach me more? About servants and slaves and such?" she asked Ozpin, just to be safe.

"Of course" Ozpin replied, a faint smile playing about his lips. "Slaves are typically given rank based on their seniority in years of service to their master. However, the master can specifically override this tradition by simply informing all his slaves of the change. As for servants, that is where it gets complicated..."

* * *

"Yeah, I'm sorry Qrow" Jaune apologized as Ozpin quietly instructed Velvet in the background.

"It's not your fault Jaune" Qrow replied, sounding resigned as he sighed. "But Sun will be hard-pressed to handle it all himself, you know?"

"I know" Jaune muttered. "Couldn't you get Yang to work on this?"

"Subtlety is not her strong point, Jaune" Qrow reminded him. "She's better suited for mass cleanup after something goes wrong. We need your charisma to keep that from happening."

"You could participate yourself" Jaune suggested.

"No, I'm needed in the kitchen" Qrow replied. "And it has to be tonight... I guess we'll play it by ear.

"I'll make it up to you somehow, Qrow" Jaune promised, feeling guilty.

"Just keep doing what you're doing" Qrow told him. "We all know that you have unique circumstances."

"Thanks Qrow" Jaune said, and the line went dead.

He put the phone back in his pocket and cursed inwardly. He went to the bathroom closet and pulled out a full suit and tie. Closing the door, he quickly changed, transforming his appearance from business casual to overwhelmingly formal. He straightened his tie, checked his pocket handkerchief, combed his hair. He knew what was expected of him during these little parties, and he had become an expert at playing the part.

"Well, when do we leave, Ozpin?" Jaune asked. Ozpin looked him up and down critically, before nodding at his appearance.

"Within the hour" Ozpin replied, checking a pocket watch. "I hope I was instructive, Miss Scarlatina?"

"Very much so, yes" Velvet said, smiling. "Thank you."

"My pleasure" Ozpin returned. "Now, you should probably get dressed in the best clothing you have." Velvet nodded, and went into the bathroom. While she reacquainted herself with the concept of a maid's dress, Jaune turned to Ozpin with a raised eyebrow.

"You haven't been corrupting her, have you Ozpin?" he asked, a smirk on his face.

"If anyone has, it's you" Ozpin replied, his eyes sparkling a little even as his face remained calm. "I was just teaching her about the hierarchy of servants, by her request."

"A fascinating topic" Jaune said. "Have you figured out the difference between a valet and manservant yet?"

"No" Ozpin returned. "And it is seriously bothering me." The two looked at each other with completely straight faces for several seconds, then smiled.

"It's good to see that you haven't changed, Jaune" Ozpin told him, restraining a laugh. "The world needs more men like you, men who can cut through the nonsense of everyday life and get at what is really important."

"No" Jaune denied, letting his laugh out briefly before continuing. "It needs more like you. Those kind and patient enough to raise people like me in a world as bad as ours."

Ozpin's smile deepened. He was proud of Jaune, even if he couldn't express the sentiment publicly. He had raised Jaune, in many ways, he was more of a father to the boy than Damien Arc himself. His reflections ended when Velvet returned from the bathroom, dressed in full maid gear. He returned his face to its usual neutral expression, and drew himself up. He too, knew what was expected of servants to a great house, and had many years of experience to draw upon as he ushered his two charges out to the car.

* * *

_[Later, at Junior's Nightclub]_

The dancefloor raged with color and sound. Bodies were packed together, arms in the air as they danced to the pounding beat of electronic music played by a DJ in a bear outfit. Booze flowed freely, and the party raged on, unabated despite the fact that it was nearly one in the morning. Off to one side, a cat faunus was busy entertaining a small group of young men. She was thin, with long black hair combed neatly back, and two cat ears rose proudly just above her forehead. She was also scantily dressed, wearing only a very short white skirt and a skimpy white bra. Makeup adorned her face, drawing the eyes away from her dialated pupils and air of semiconsciousness. She was busy giving a lap dance to one of the men, who was grinning lopsidedly and pawing at her breasts.

Blake giggled, resting her hands against the back of her head. The entire world was swam before her eyes, colors and shapes blending more and more the farther away they were, leaving her with maybe three feet of clearish sight. Noises rang in her ears far longer than normal, and sounded hollow and empty. She wiggled and danced for the man in front of her, who seemed to enjoy her breasts as much as the dance. She arched her back a little, letting him get a better view and grip. In her drug-induced haze, she enjoyed the attention, the sensations, the men and women who payed good money to have a faunus prostitute entertain them for varying lengths of time.

She felt a hand on her shoulder, a grip that she had come to know very well. She felt somewhat sad, why did Melanie always have to come along just as things were getting good? She would almost miss these young men, with their smiles and and their booze and their attentive hands. Almost, because as much as she disliked Melanie's interruptions, she knew that the white-clad bouncer would always steer her towards more people, happy to enjoy themselves with Blake. She grinned apologetically and got up, letting Melanie's hand steer her through the amorphous club with its dancers, waitresses, and other prostitutes.

A few seconds later, Melanie set her down at a circular booth, with a table in the center and only a single occupant. Blake looked him over and liked what she saw. He was tall, handsomely tan, blond, muscular, and casually dressed in a collared v-neck and jeans. Her one dislike lay in his choice to wear a mask over his eyes and cheekbones, which mostly concealed any defining characteristics that he might have. Even if it was masquerade night, he still could have chosen something a little better classier than plain black plastic. Then he smiled, a dazzlingly white expression, and all was forgiven as she smiled back. He looped an arm around her shoulders, drawing her in. She giggled again, and nuzzled up close to him, making sure to press her chest firmly against his.

"Wanna dance, handsome?" she purred, proud that she hadn't slurred her words. He grinned wider in response, and closed the curtain that hung over the entrance to the booth.

Blake shivered in excitement, wondering where this particular man would begin. Sitting back down, he took one of her hands and gently guided it down towards the top of his pants. Typical. Then he pulled it back, leading it around between the seat and his back. Okay...maybe he wanted her to grope his ass? Then she felt fur. Fur wrapped around a warm, flexible appendage that emerged from the small of his back and wrapped around his torso. She rubbed it for a few seconds, not realizing what it was. Then she froze, a sluggish thought arising in her fuzzy brain. Humans didn't have tails. She glanced up at the grinning man, who held a finger to his lips and winked.

"Shh..." he said, pulling her closer. "What's your name, beautiful?"

"Belladonna" Blake replied, still struggling with her thoughts. If he had a tail then he wasn't human. If he wasn't human, then he had to be faunus. If he was faunus, what was he doing in a nightclub designed exclusively for humans in Vale's red-light district?

"Belladonna..." the man mused, seeming to roll the word around in his mouth. "What a beautiful name. You know, I think it would sound even more beautiful without all the makeup and drugs, don't you agree?"

Blake nodded instinctively. Agreeing with customers was the first thing prostitutes were taught. Then her brain slowly began working. What did he mean, without the makeup and drugs? The makeup she could easily remove if he preferred, Melanie would just take her into the backroom and allow her to reapply before taking her back out onto the floor. But the drugs? You couldn't remove drugs from a person's system, could you? She wanted to curse her brain, but had forgotten how by this point.

The man stood and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and she rose with him, wrapping an arm around his waist. They began walking through the club, Blake giggling constantly at the innumerable jokes and puns that her customer was telling. She noticed a door in the distance, and vaguely wondered how they had gotten up to the rented rooms so fast. Then she felt a hand close about her shoulder. Seriously, why did Melanie...? Her usual thought was interrupted by her customer spinning around, his arm unwinding from her shoulders and backhanding Melanie across the face. As the white bouncer stumbled, he continued his spin, raising a leg up, over Blake's shoulder, and down on top of Melanie's head.

She felt the man grip her hand, and he pulled her along, dashing through the startled crowd of revelers. A red-clad figure rushed to meet them, brandishing long metal claws. She was Melanie's sister, Militiades. The man let go of Blake and drew two pairs of nunchaku from his jeans, deflecting Militiades' initial strike and countering with his own. Blake stumbled, her drugged brain unable to keep her balanced as she fell to the floor. She heard confused shouts and screams, gunshots, the clash of weapons. She felt the vibrations of someone running across the floor, and she looked up in time to see Melanie bringing her one of her bladed heels up into the man's side. A thin cut formed, but he twisted away before any serious damage could be caused.

Bringing his nunchucks together, he gave a slight twist and they straightened and locked into a staff. Spinning it, he simultaneously held off both of the Malachite Twins, grinning as he beat down first one, then the other. Stepping over their unconscious bodies, he reached down and slung Blake over his shoulders, breaking his staff back into nunchaku and stuffing one into his belt. Junior's henchmen were beginning to gather, generic men in black suits and hats with red trim. They held swords and automatic rifles, looking as dangerous as they could. From Blake's inverted perspective, they half reminded her of the last time she had been in a situation like this, the time when she had been caught and enslaved. The henchmen had them surrounded on the now-empty dancefloor, and Junior himself had arrived with his massive baseball bat/rocket launcher. Blake sighed, knowing that the party was over. Wait, why was she even on this faunus' shoulders in the first place? If she could get down, the henchmen would spare her as a valuable investment.

_...even more beautiful without all the makeup and the drugs..._ ran through her sluggish brain. _...without the makeup or drugs... a faunus monkey tail... drawn weapons... a fireman's carry... a rescue?_

The henchmen were preparing to fire, and Blake slowly grew afraid. This faunus' attempt to get her out of this club was commendable, but it looked like it was about to all go down the drain. She hugged him a little, comforted that she would at least not die alone...

* * *

_[Five minutes previously, Vale Police Tower]_

"Sir, we have a disturbance at one of the nightclubs you ordered surveilance on" an officer reported, turning in his chair to face his new boss. Lie Ren sat cross-legged on a swivel chair, his hands resting lightly on his knees and his eyes closed in meditation. He no longer slept, he meditated, as it was far more effective at restoring his aura and improving his mental faculties than sleep. It also allowed him to respond to crises at any hour, which made him invaluable to the VCT. Hearing the officer speak, he brought his full attention back to the present.

"Which one?" he asked, keeping his eyes closed as he breathed slowly, precisely, bringing his full consciousness back to the land of the living.

"The Nightclub, sir" the officer explained. "Owned by one Hei 'Junior' Xiong, and guarded by the Malachite Twins. A fight has broken out between the twins and an unknown monkey faunus with a concealed face." Ren's eyes slowly opened, and he unfolded his body at the same pace.

"Get me a bullhead" he said, stretching his limbs. "And tell Miss Valkyrie to meet me at the helipad, now."

"Sir" the officer replied, already turning back to his control panel to push buttons and make calls.

Ren strode purposefully from the room, testing his communications set as he took the stairs at a jog. Fights at nightclubs were common. Fights between armed bouncers and equally dangerous patrons were not. He stepped out into the nighttime air, and saw that Nora was already present, the bullhead touching down in the background. He nodded at Nora, and the two stepped into the carrying bay of the airship.

"Pilot, do you copy?" Ren asked through his comms.

"Copy clear, specialist" the pilot responded. "Where we headin?"

"Junior's nightclub" Ren replied, transmitting the location. "And step on it."

"You got it" the pilot replied happily, and opened up the throttle. The bullhead tore through the night sky of Vale, forcing Nora to grab onto a ceiling strap to maintain balance. Ren simply stood with his hands folded behind him, his body naturally adjusting itself to accomodate the increased speed and violent turbulance.

"We're going to interrupt a crime in progress, Nora" Ren said, turning to face his partner. "The primary target is an unknown monkey faunus with a staff and facemask. The victim is an unknown cat faunus prostitute. We are not to kill them."

"Awww..." Nor acomplained, gently stroking the haft of her warhammer. "But Magnhild wanted to play..."

"However..." Ren continued. "Civilians have seemingly evacuated already, so all others can be assumed to be gang members. I don't really care about what happens to them." Nora's face brightened, and she hummed happily.

Ren sighed internally. Technically, Nora was not part of the VCT, as she had been unable to pass the strict psych evaluation. However, due to a widely unknown and mostly ignored rule, Ren had been able to use his standing as an officer to select her as his secretary. A secretary that just happened to carry around a warhammer that doubled as a grenade launcher loaded with high-yield dust-based explosives. All Ren had to do was make sure that she looked busy whenever his superiors checked in and keep her collateral damage to a minimum, and nobody bothered them.

He never really expressed it to anyone, but he cared for his bubbly childhood friend, and had been as disheartened as she when he learned that she couldn't follow him into the VCT. So instead, she got a job with the Vale military and got commended for uncommon courage under fire and a promotion. That had made her eligible to be selected as Ren's field secretary under some law with a massive title that even Ren prefered not to remember, and he had promptly taken advantage of it. He was one of very few people that could control her when she got crazy, the other two being her parents, both of which had died in the war.

"Here we are" the pilot announced, hovering the bullhead about sixty feet off the ground. "You want me to drop you on a building?"

"No" Ren replied, gesturing at Nora to come closer as he stepped to the edge of the bay. "We'll take the direct route."

Nora hopped onto his back, gleefully hugging him with all four limbs as he leapt from the bullhead. He angled his fall towards the side of a nearby building, and caught the wall with his feet. Bending his knees, he brought his hands forward, flaring his aura. Energy crackled around his palms as they met the hard concrete, slowing their descent. About ten feet off the ground, he pushed off and elegantly backflipped, dropping Nora off as his back was parallel to the ground. Both landed in crouches, staring at the nightclub in front of them.

"Alright, Nora" Ren said, dusting his palms off and sliding his twin Stormflower bladed smgs from his sleeves. "Breach in three...two...one..."

* * *

_[The present...]_

A violent pink explosion filled the entryway of Junior's nightclub, knocking henchmen everywhere and saving Blake and her rescuer from certain death. Some turned to check the disturbance, but were cut down by more explosions, much smaller this time, and precise headshots. Blake's rescuer didn't question the explosion, and simply ran towards the side exit that he had noted earlier. Kicking the door down, he discovered that it led to the attached parking lot. Grinning, he checked the level that they were on to orient himself, and then sprinted for the van parked on the seventh floor.

"Cover me!" Ren commanded, his quick eyes picking out his fleeing quarry and giving chase.

Nora happily complied, launching grenades everywhere while laughing maniacally. Generic thugs screamed and flew in all directions and Ren sprinted. One particularly large man blocked his path, dressed in dress pants, a white oxford, and a black vest. Over his shoulder, he carried a rocket launcher. It was Hei 'Junior' Xiong. Taking advantage of Junior's poor balance, Ren jumped, extending his arm and using his momentum to drive the blade of one of his Stormflowers into Junior's neck. He encountered some resistance from the man's aura, but merely flared his own, and the blade cut like a hot knife into butter. Letting his aura fade, Ren continued forward, swinging around behind Junior and letting the motion rip the blade from his neck. Turning, Ren continued to sprint, leaving Junior to clutch his mostly slit throat as he fell to the ground.

Stepping over the remains of the door, Ren glanced around quickly, and caught the flicker of his quarry's shadow as they went up the parking garage's stairs. Ren followed, taking the stairs three at a time. He got within a flight of stairs before the monkey faunus, realizing that he was being followed, turned and shot several rounds from his gunchucks. Ren cursed, ducking back half a flight to put himself out of danger. He took the opportunity to reholster his Stormflowers, as he possessed no nonlethal ammunition. The monkey faunus continued up the stairs, and Ren matched his pace, careful to never let himself get exposed to more gunfire.

Finally, the faunus kicked open another door, and ran out into the main area of the parking garage's seventh floor. Ren followed, vaulting cars and using each one as a shield from incoming bullets. He moved with exceptional skill and grace, and after the tenth car he managed to get within striking distance of the two faunus. Stepping out, he brought his left palm forward, infusing his strike with aura. The blow connected with empty air, as the monkey faunus twisted away.

However, the closeness of the attack forced the faunus to turn and fight, and he carefully dropped the cat faunus on the hood of a nearby car. As his hand flashed down towards his jeans, Ren renewed his assault, blitzing the faunus with a snap kick, which flowed into a reverse spin kick, which in turn flowed into a lunging elbow to the gut. The faunus dodged the snap kick, took the spin kick, using the motion to stumble backwards beyond the range of the following elbow, and drew his second pair of gunchucks. Flipping them end for end repeatedly, he fired multiple rounds back at Ren, who sidestepped and rolled forwards.

He expected and felt a gunchuck crack down across his back, accepting the pain as he came up into a half crouch, grasping the faunus' knees and pulling one out in a simple takedown. The faunus fell heavily, and Ren was instantly on him, attempting to hold him down until Nora arrived to finish the fight. Sadly, that didn't happen. Instead, Ren heard the screeching of tires as a vehicle skidded to a stop nearby. Glancing over his shoulder, Ren let go of the monkey faunus and ducked to the side, narrowly avoiding a lead pipe to the back of the head. As both Ren and his quarry rolled to their feet, the new arrival, a bulky man wearing a ski mask, picked up the faunus girl and took her back into the van. Ren continued to evade backwards as the monkey faunus recovered his gunchucks and resumed firing, getting into the passenger seat of the van. The door slammed shut, and the van took off down the exit ramp.

Ren cursed and ran to the central stairwell. Vaulting the handrail, he repeatedly caught the next and pushed off, descending as quickly as gravity would allow without hurting himself. Landing on the ground floor, he rushed towards the exit, drawing his Stormflowers and unleashing a hail of bullets as the van screamed past him and into the night. Unsurprisingly, he missed. His partner, however, did not. Nora, having finished demolishing everything and everyone inside the nightclub's main floor, had decided to rejoin Ren. As she lightly skipped out the remains of the front door, she saw him firing at an escaping van. Unslinging Magnhild from her shoulder, she fired a single round, which crashed next to the van's front wheels and detonated spectacularly, throwing the vehicle onto its side.

"NO!" Ren shouted, seeing Nora sighting down the barrel for another shot. "We need them alive!" Nora pouted slightly, but put away her weapon.

Two figures were crawling out of the van, the bulky man and the monkey faunus Ren had fought earlier. The monkey faunus held the cat faunus in his arms, and the three began to run. Scowling, Ren raised his Stormflowers and fired two rounds. One hit, penetrating the monkey faunus' knee. He went down hard, and Ren and Nora dashed forward. The bulky man slung the monkey faunus over his shoulders and took off at a surprising speed, leaving the cat faunus on the ground. Ren tried to follow, but lost them as soon as they ducked into an alleyway. When Ren arrived, all he saw was the fluttering of some material or other in the wind.

Trotting back to Nora and the cat faunus, Ren allowed himself a small moment of satisfaction. They may not have captured the vigilante, but they had potentially found something greater. If this cat faunus was in any way connected to the vigilantes, they could use her to crack their organization wide open. Plus, they had mostly shot up... Ren was interrupted in his musings by Junior's nightclub mostly collapsing behind him. Make that completely shot up an outpost of Vale's illegal faunus trafficking. All in all, it was a good night's work.

"Let's bring her to the station, Nora" Ren decided, wrapping his jacket around the shivering cat faunus. "I'd like to have a nice, long chat once she's ready."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Hello again, and here's the first chapter with non half-assed combat! Anywho, the inspiration for the name of this chapter (and the code in which Jaune and Qrow were talking) came from me writing about 60% of this chapter during the graveyard shift, which was then attentively edited after I had gotten some sleep. And, because I feel like it, I'm running a contest. First review or PM to correctly guess Jaune's fiancee gets...a shoutout and an OC that will last for all of ONE PARAGRAPH (w00t!) in the next chapter. It's basically just designing a face in the crowd that Jaune/Velvet will interact with briefly before moving on. So, R&R, love, favorite, hate, flame, and as always, have a great week:)


	5. Pleasant Conversation

**Pleasant Conversation**

**A/N:** So yeah, I got out of the hospital early this time, yeah! My doctors told me that since I didn't need anything too strong for pain and because I've been through this all before, they could afford to send me home as long as I promised to not do anything stupid. This has the double effect of getting me out of the hospital and giving me more free time to write, since my sleep schedule is all out of whack. Anywho, while I'm still not 100%, Imma post this because I love you all. I'm uncertain as to the overall quality (since I'm lacking sleep), so if it's subpar, let me know and I'll fix it once I'm back on track. Enjoy:)

* * *

_[Downtown Vale]_

For those that had never attended an 'informal' party hosted by the Schnee family, the experience could best be described as overwhelming, opulent, and elegant. It could also be described as a distasteful display of superiority supported by dubious profits, but all who thought that way kept silent for fear of being the next on the Schnee's hit list. For Velvet, it was both. The massive hall that the Schnee had constructed to hold their events in the city of Vale was supported by white marble columns, decorated with veins of quartz spiraling from floor to ceiling. A grand ballroom took up most of the ground floor, complete with a grand staircase of white marble leading up to the second floor. Tables of refreshments were placed along the sides of the ballroom, and light classical music aired in the background, performed by the best talent that money could buy. Many guests had already arrived, men in black tuxedos and women in dresses of all hues and cuts, idly conversing while sipping champagne and wine or dancing. Less noticible were the faunus attendants of Vale's upper crust, dressed in official uniforms and shadowing their masters, unheard and for the most part unseen.

"Hello" the doorman greeted, tastefully dressed in a black suit emblazoned with the Schnee family crest over his heart.

"Jaune Arc" Jaune said, friendly but not bothering to return the greeting. "And my valet."

"Ah, welcome!" The doorman returned, checking Jaune's face on his scroll and giving a smile. Jaune nodded in reply, and swept past him without a backwards glance.

Velvet followed, careful to keep Jaune in sight as they waded through the crowd. She was surprised at the amount of people that seemed to know Jaune, as he was frequently stopped by passersby and asked to join their conversations for a few minutes. Jaune readily complied, and proved himself knowledgeable on everything from economics and politics to wine and fashion. It was quite a different side of Jaune, one that Velvet had mixed emotions about.

On the one side, he looked good in a suit, with his hair immaculate, his tie just so. His manners were impeccable, and he seemed open and free to everyone. On the other hand, he fitted in with the upper crust a little too well. He took no notice of the faunus, even when he bumped into them as he walked. He readily accepted racial slurs as part of the conversation, even laughing at a few. He was condescending when speaking to servants, defended the social order with a zeal that matched his company, and firmly supported the Schnee Dust Company and his father. In short, he was acting very un-Jaunelike, and he did it so flawlessly, that even Velvet was mostly convinced that this was his true personality.

"Ah! Mr. Arc!" a voice called, and Jaune turned to face it. It belonged to a man with the body of Hercules and the face of Paris. Deep red hair flowed down to his shoulders, and a friendly smile adorned his face.

"Mr. Nikos!" Jaune replied, his smile deepening to match the older man's. "How's the family?"

"Please, call me Hector" the man laughed, a genuine sound. "And they're doing fine. The missus is busy managing the weapons factories, and business is booming under her direction!"

"I'm sure it is" Jaune agreed. "And how about Pyrrha?"

"She's in the same boat as you" Hector declared, glancing around. "Or at least, she should be, seeing as she's somewhere in this building. That Winchester kid is far too possessive..."

"Not having much luck of the marriage front?" Jaune asked, sounding like he sympathized.

"Well..." Hector began. "It's not that Mr. Winchester is a bad pick, his family is prestigious and rich, more than capable of taking care of my Pyrrha for several lifetimes. It's just that..."

"Cardin's a dick" Jaune finished, seeing Hector hesitate.

"That's not the way I would've put it..." Hector said, looking relieved. "But yes, he is. I want her to be happy, but at the same time, I can't just turn her loose to choose anyone, it just isn't done."

"I could always elope with her" Jaune suggested, grinning. "We've been planning it for ages, ever since we were children, in fact."

"Ha! That'd be coup!" Hector laughed. "You, jilting your fiancee in favor of my daughter. I'd let you do it, but then we'd both be enemies of her father, and that select group of people typically have very short lifespans."

"True..." Jaune mused. "But, say we fled to Vacuo, I know of a few families that would be more than willing to hide us as a favor."

"Enough!" Hector said, still amused. "If you keep talking with that charmingly sincere voice of yours, I might actually agree to it!"

"Point taken" Jaune agreed, raising his hands in mock surrender. "The offer still stands though."

"Heh... I'd settle for just having Winchester taken down a peg or two" Hector revealed. "He's too arrogant, and treats people like objects that can be reordered to better suit his vision of reality."

"Maybe I'll break his legs" Jaune offered, glancing around. "Is there any area of this hall that isn't covered by security?"

"No" Hector replied. "And though I appreciate the offer, everyone knows you can't fight worth a damn. Winchester would tear you to pieces before you hurt him in the slightest."

"And Pyrrha will tear him to pieces before he could hurt her" Jaune countered. "She has been the Mistral champion for what, five years now?"

"True, true!" Hector answered, the smile returning to his face. "Well, I won't keep you any longer, since your fiancee will be furious if you don't even acknowledge that she exists." Jaune grimaced comically, but parted from Hector with a promise to keep in touch.

Velvet was confused, what did Mr. Nikos mean, Jaune couldn't fight? He had beaten down an armed assailant before her eyes, and walked away unscathed. He tussled with Yang and Sun every day at lunch, to the point where Qrow had to separate them by force for fear of them damaging the bar. Why did he hide his skill from high society, if revealing it could win him fame like Pyrrha? Granted, he never seemed to care about what others thought of him, but his father evidently did, which begged the question, did his father know? Velvet could feel a headache coming on as she tried to work out the minds of those in power. It was so much easier to just follow wherever she was led, and do the tasks assigned to her. And for now, that meant acting as Jaune's shadow, just in case he needed her. However, the task became significantly more difficult when she had no idea where Jaune was.

She glanced around hurriedly, having lost sight of Jaune while contemplating. She briefly followed several people who had similar haircuts, only to find that they were not Jaune. She was invisible in the crowd, Jaune couldn't have found her if he tried, if he even was trying. Velvet shook that thought out of her head before it could go any farther. Of course Jaune would look for her, he would find her somehow and everything would be alright. All she had to do was not panic and cause a scene. She took a few deep breaths, calming her slightly shaky nerves.

"I now annouce Remnant's most famous couple" an officious announcer exclaimed. "Jaune Arc and his bride-to-be, Weiss Schnee!"

Velvet looked up, along with everyone else, to see two figures descending the red carpeted stairway. On the left was Jaune, a polite smile on his face as he waved to the crowd. His other arm was interlocked with the other figure, who was evidently Miss Schnee. She was short, but what she lacked in height she made up for in beauty and attitude. She wore a pure white dress which flowed elegantly to the floor, barely seeming to move as she walked. Her silver hair was pulled back into an off-center ponytail that trailed artfully down over one shoulder, concealing the strapless side of her dress. Like Jaune she was smiling, but hers was cold and formal, well-practiced and insincere. Everyone applauded the announcement, and the two were showered with well-wishes as they walked through the crowd to the dancefloor. The band struck up a slow waltz, and the two adjusted their posture accordingly. The other couples gave them room as they danced, their movements stately and graceful.

Velvet again felt a strange mix of emotions rise within her. She had heard Jaune complain about his arranged marriage to Weiss, his voice dripping with venom directed at her father, and his father, and society. She wanted to believe that those were his true sentiments, that every moment that he spent in this ballroom was as unwelcome as it was to her. And yet, as she watched him dance with Weiss, quietly conversing about something, it was very hard to believe it. He looked so natural, so happy, that it was almost as if he had never really meant to insult the world from which he came. She almost felt betrayed, as if everything he had ever done for her had been a lie, some sort of sick joke.

Then she felt ashamed for that, for it was impossible to fake the kind of affection that he had shown her. No one who possessed hatred for the faunus would ever have been able to make her feel like she had a home, would never have saved her from a criminal, would never have taken the time to hold her while she cried. No, she didn't feel betrayed. She didn't know quite what she felt, but she knew that she didn't like the image of Jaune holding Weiss, whispering sweet nothings into her ear as they danced.

* * *

"So, setting business aside..." Jaune said, shifting their conversation into a different vein. "On a scale of one to ten, how much are you hating this situation?"

"A solid eight" Weiss replied, her face completely straight. "You almost smell like the sewers you live in."

"I live in a drafty house" Jaune protested with mock offense, a grin on his face. "Not a sewer!"

"Same difference" Weiss returned, dismissing the distinction.

"Right..." Jaune said, drawing out the word dramatically. "I forgot that when one lives surrounded by nothing but luxury, anything else would seem like a sewer by comparison." Weiss huffed, but didn't deny the truth of his words.

This was generally how their conversations ended, with each asserting that their way of life was better. Weiss honestly didn't know what her father saw in Jaune. Out of all possible suitors, many of which were far richer or more connected in the business world, Jaune was the least involved in high society. He was truly the black sheep of the Arc family, preferring to live alone in the seediest district of Vale that he could find, to work full time as a bartender to support himself, to do his utter best to ignore the pedestal that Senator Arc's achievements had built for himself and his family. He would eventually have to come out of this phase of rebellion and just accept that some things in life were decided for you. She shuddered to think about what would happen if he hadn't gotten over himself by the time they were married. Legally, she was more or less forced to live with him, and she wasn't all too fond of living in a "drafty little dump." Then again, even if he did snap out of it, what kind of man would he be? She had only ever known the cheerful, optimistic, me-against-the-world Jaune, and as flawed as that character was, it was preferable to that of her father's or his father's.

"Well, we have been dancing for about an hour now" Jaune informed her. "I think etiquette allows us to stop at this point." Weiss nodded, and they stepped off the dancefloor.

"You want something to drink?" Jaune asked, surreptitiously checking his phone.

"We're eighteen, Jaune" Weiss reminded him, exhasperated at his constant attempts to get her to drink alcohol. "We can't drink."

"Fine..." Jaune muttered. "I'll get water then." He strode over to the nearest refreshment table, and happened to pass Velvet along the way.

"Hi, Velvet..." he greeted, still sounding cheerful but very much so subdued. "How much do _you_ hate this party? I know I'd rather be somehwere else..."

"Um..." Velvet was uncertain as to how to answer the question, or if she even should. However, she was glad that Jaune had admitted to at least disliking the party.

"Two waters, please" Jaune asked of the bartender. "And a shot of vodka." The bartender wordlessly pulled the three drinks up, and passed them to Jaune. He knocked back the shot of vodka with a practiced jerk of his arm, setting the glass back down with a grimace.

"I needed that..." he muttered, feeling the alcohol kick him upside the head. "Well, just wait here for a little bit, I swear this will all be over soon..." he promised to Velvet, and took the waters back to where Weiss stood. Velvet nodded, picking up on the fact that he was reassuring himself as much as her.

She watched as Jaune passed one of the glasses to Weiss, who seemed to scold him when she smelled the alcohol on his breath. He reacted with mock offense, which was taken as genuine, and the two started a quiet dispute. They kept their faces polite and calm for the benefit of passersby, while efficiently assembling and disassembling arguments that they threw at each other. It chilled Velvet to see just how good of an actor Jaune was, how flawlessly he could blend into this fancy party while maintaining an internal dislike of the whole proceedings.

* * *

The party dragged on for several more hours, ending just after midnight. While Jaune had parted from Weiss long before then, he had steadily drank himself drunk on vodka, and was forced to lean on Velvet as they walked out to where Ozpin had parked the car. He sighed at Jaune's heavily inebriated state, muttering that he wished Jaune would stop ruining his health like that. He drove them back to Jaune's house, and opened the door for them, seeing as Jaune couldn't even see straight anymore. He bowed as the two crossed the threshold, and politely shut and locked the door behind them.

"Are you alright?" Velvet asked, hearing Jaune groan and clutch his stomach.

"Nope..." he replied with a ghastly attempt at his usual cheer, slowly leading them towards the bathroom.

He collapsed once inside, managing to get to the toilet before violently hurling his guts out. Though partially sickened by the noises Jaune was making, Velvet knelt by his side and rubbed his back comfortingly, an act that Jaune acknowledged with a nod of his head. They stayed there for the better part of ten minutes while Jaune rid himself of the copious amounts of alcohol that he had imbided, and then gave dry heaves when there was nothing left to come up. He was shivering and sweating, his arms trembling as they held his head above the now disgusting toilet bowl. Velvet carefully pulled him back and set him on his side, flushing the toilet and going to get a glass of water.

"Thank you..." Jaune said, rinsing his mouth and spitting into the sink.

He managed to stand on his own, though he needed Velvet's help to get out of his suit, fortunately untouched by the vomit. He leaned on her as they walked back to the living room, and he collapsed again, this time onto the couch. In seconds, he was snoring. Velvet smiled a little, not envying the monstrous hangover he would have in the morning. She went back to the bathroom and changed into her jeans and sweatshirt, hanging her maid dress back up in the closet next to Jaune's suit. She walked back into the living room, carefully tucked Jaune in, and then curled up on the recliner under her own blankets, wondering where else she would be led by Jaune's unusual lifestyle.

* * *

_[Vale Police Tower, Holding Cells]_

The world had stopped swimming, sounds had resumed their usual quality and duration. Blake shivered, only now realizing just how chilly her skimpy outfit was. Her internal clock told her that it was around two in the morning, an ungodly hour by anyone's standards. She wanted to sleep, but she had more important questions to answer first. Where was she? This cell didn't look like anything that Junior could afford. It was pure metal, with no visible doors or windows. A cot was pushed up against one corner of the room, tiny and with only a single sheet on it. Blake pulled the sheet around her shoulders, still shivering. Who was holding her, and why? The last thing she remembered was being pulled into a black van, and then the world tilted crazily and she smashed her head against something.

As if on cue, she suddenly felt the pangs of a killer headache. She moaned, clutching her head as she fell onto her cot. Someone had bandaged it for her, quite snugly and with comfortable cotton gauze. As the headache slowly dulled, she heard a muffled hiss, and glanced up in time to see a segment of wall slide seamlessly back, revealing two figures. Once was a normal police officer, still holding up a scroll that he had used to gain access to her cell. The other she vaguely recognized as the militaryesque man who had chased her rescuer down. This man, still clad in his black uniform, was carrying a folding chair under his arm, and he casually stepped into her cell. The other officer sealed the door behind him, and he took a seat on his chair.

"Hello" he greeted, his tone neutral and calm, his face unreadable. "If you don't know already, you're being held in the Vale Police Department as a witness and victim of attempted abduction." He paused, waiting for a reaction. Blake merely nodded, preferring to lie on her cot, as it kept her head from pounding as hard.

"Well" the man continued. "I like to keep these meetings short and painless, so I'll get to the point. What is your connection to the faunus who abducted you from Junior's Nightclub?"

"Never knew him..." Blake replied, her throat dry. The man nodded.

"Very well, do you know of any reason why he would target you specifically?"

"As I said, I never knew him" Blake repeated. "And he didn't happen to tell me anything about himself, so I doubt I'll be very useful."

"Can you think of nothing that would inspire someone, anyone, to free you?" Blake shook her head, even though she could think of one reason, a rather big one, as a matter of fact.

"You are lying to me" the man stated simply, his pink eyes boring into her.

He made no threats, no promises of pain or punishment. He simply stared, his face impassive and his eyes intense. He needed to make no threats, for Blake could already feel his aura, calm for now, but with an undercurrent of deadly force. She knew that he could make her experience intense pain without leaving a mark on her, that he could kill her where she stood and that even when she was in her prime, she probably couldn't have done a thing about it.

"I can think of one" she admitted, licking her lips nervously. The tense aura lessened somewhat. "I can fight exceptionally well in hand-to-hand combat, maybe he wanted a sidekick?"

"Perhaps" the man replied, seeming to know that she wasn't telling the whole truth. "Or perhaps, he wanted something more?"

"Sex?" Blake offered semisarcastically, unwilling to let her secret be revealed.

"Unlikely" the man countered, unamused. Several awkward seconds passed as the tense aura built up again, a silent but effective threat.

"You know you can't kill me" Blake said, a thought occuring to her. "I'm your only lead. And confessions obtained under duress are dubious at best."

"Indeed" the man replied, relaxing his aura. "But, how can you speak so confidently of what does and does not work in interrogation?" Blake cursed inwardly, this man was good. If only she had a weapon, she might be able to take him down before the other officers arrived to kill her...

"Planning my demise, as well as a probable escape plan" the man stated. "You're only making me more curious about you. Please, continue." Blake wanted to strangle someone. Now she couldn't even think without this man eavesdropping on her?

"I sense your confusion" the man said. "I can feel your aura shift as it reflects your mental processes. It's not mind reading, but it's the next best thing. Speaking of aura, yours seems to be unlocked. Given everything else I know about you, I can guess with roughly 70 percent accuracy that you were a member of the White Fang."

Blake's eyes narrowed, this man was dangerous, she couldn't let him live. But what would she do? She had no weapons, no armor, no idea where she was, no friends, and nowhere to run. She was a faunus in a world dominated by humans. She had no rights, no respect. She was nothing, a creature that would be shot for disobeying whatever person was arrogant enough to call itself her master.

_The most dangerous kind of enemy is one with nothing to lose..._ The final words of her partner and friend echoed through her mind, making it up for her. Even if she was nothing, she would enact vengeance for her fallen comrades, vengeance for her enslaves brothers and sisters. If she died, it wouldn't matter, for she was nothing, yet she was something. She was the most dangerous enemy in the world.

She lashed out at the man, striking his abdomen with her fist as she lunged off her cot. He rolled with her blow, letting the chair fall over as he moved. She landed on top of him, continuously throwing blows as she tried to put him on the defensive, put himself in a self-defeating guard. Instead, she felt his hands grip her shoulders as he continued to roll, and she cursed as he brought both of his feet up into her gut. She flew through the air, crashing into the wall. Pain flared across her back, reminding her that she hadn't fought in two long years. She knew the moves, but her muscles were weak and her reflexes dull. She had to think as she made each move, making her awkward as she tried and failed to land a blow on the man.

He was graceful and fluid, unencumbered by the need to make a conscious decision as he moved instinctively, redirecting her ill-performed kicks and punches. Strangely, he didn't attempt to fight back. Blake knew that he could easily beat her with his martial skill, and if he didn't want to waste energy, she could see the outlines of twin guns hidden in his sleeves. Instead, he merely waited for her to tire, which took a depressingly short amount of time. Blake threw one final punch as she fell to her knees, gasping for breath. It collided solidly with his stomach, though it seemed like she had just hit a brick wall. She hissed and dropped her hand, rubbing her knuckles.

She had been foolish to think that she could fight, foolish to think that she alone could avenge the death of even one faunus by killing this man. It had been too long, time had taken far too great a toll on her body and mind. She growled, glaring up at the man as he stood there calmly, patiently. He seemed to mock her with his perfect poise, his tireless body. She felt anger welling up within her, anger at her helplessness, anger at her loss, anger at the fact that nothing would ever change.

Her amber eyes flashed, and she lunged upwards, her anger inspiring her to make one last attack. She grabbed him around the waist and opened her mouth, clamping down on the area where his shoulder met his neck. She felt massive resistance from his aura, and then a weightless sensation as he dislodged her arms and picked her up, throwing her down towards the cold steel of...her cot? She landed with shocking lightness, and was followed a second later by the blanket, which had fallen to the floor during her initial attack. She glanced up at the man, who was busy picking up his fallen chair.

"You used to be exceptional" he told her. Even though his voice was still neutral, Blake could have sworn that he sounded somehow disappointed. She ground her teeth a little, angered that he had pitied her enough to end the fight in such a humiliating manner. The man knocked on the wall a few times, and the officer reopened the door. He stepped out, then turned to face Blake.

"I was not overly impressed with our conversation" he said. "I hope you improve when we next meet."

The steel doors shut, leaving Blake alone in her cell. She seemed to hear a muffled order, and the vents hissed a little as heated air was pumped in. Blake snarled, unwilling to accept any charity from her enemies. Still, the extra heat would make it easier to sleep. Hating her situation yet powerless to end it, she dropped off into a shallow sleep haunted by nightmares of her drowning in a sea of blackness, a pair of pink eyes watching her futile struggles impassively.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

So yeah, not much here other than appreciation for all of you who reviewed and PM'd me well-wishes, as well as anyone else who reads this story. You guys are the best. So, R&R, favorite, hate, follow or flame, and as always, have a great week:)


	6. The Morning After

**The Morning After**

_[Vale Police Tower, Holding Cells]_

"Wakey wakey, little cat..." a guard muttered, retracting the door and hitting the steel wall with his fist. Blake's ears twitched uncomfortably at the noise, and she shifted to face the door.

"Get up" the guard ordered. "Time for you to meet the rest of the inmates..." Blake stretched and stood, starting to wrap the blanket around herself for modesty.

Instead, the guard threw an orange prison jumpsuit at her, along with a pair of comfortable-looking underwear. She glared at him pointedly, and he shrugged, turning his back and leaning casually against the wall. He did have all day, after all. She changed quickly, folding up her skimpy outfit and tucking it under one arm. She glanced at the man, realizing just how vulnerable he was in this situation. If she could get up behind him without being heard, she could break his neck and... She shook her head, ridding herself of that thought. That military man had proved to her just how weak she had become, and she had no desire to repeat that ordeal.

So, she simply walked out of her cell and stood there. She felt his hand close lightly on her shoulder, guiding her through a short series of corridors to an elevator. They rode it down from the ground floor to the third (and lowest) basement level. Stepping out, Blake was greeted by a rather unusual sight. They were next to an office and armory for the few guards who worked here, currently staffed by two emotionless men in full body armor with assault rifles over their shoulders. One of the two noticed them and nodded, pressing a button to buzz them into a small waiting area. Blake could see armored doors on the other side, but her attention was fixed on the back of the same man who had beaten her last night. He stood in the center of the room with his hands folded behind his back, his breathing steady and even. He glanced around at the sound of their entry, and also nodded, dismissing the guard.

Blake was instantly on her guard, what did this man want from her? She reflexively glanced around the room, looking for anything she could use to her advantage. The walls were white, with benches built into them that ran around the perimeter. Other than that, the room was completely empty except for a window looking into the same office/armory as before. As her eyes returned to the man, she could have sworn that a corner of his mouth was twitching upwards.

"Welcome to the Pit" the man told her. "It is, quite literally, a pit where the Vale PD keeps their faunus prisoners."

"You're really going to drop me in there?" Blake asked apprehensively, her faunus hearing picking up the sounds of several heated scuffles through the armored doors.

"Not my call" the man told her. "All faunus are required to be held here if they're not being interrogated or used as witnesses in a trial. There are some rules you should know. One, the guards do not care about your safety, as their primary assignment is containment. Two, food is delivered in bulk, it is up to the inmates to ensure a fair distribution. Three, everything aside from breaking out and possessing modern weapons is completely legal. Four, this isn't a rule, but you should hear it nonetheless. I'll be watching you."

Without further ado, the man ushered her towards the doors. He signaled the men in the office, and they opened them. As the man had told her, it was a large pit, perhaps one hundred feet deep, and with an unknowable radius. The only way down was a caged elevator, which was watched by two more armed and armored guards. Blake smirked at the fact that, even though the faunus were defeated and enslaved, the humans were still afraid enough to post guards toting the latest technology in the business of death. She stepped into the elevator, and felt the vibrations rattle up her spine as she was lowered down into the depths of the Pit.

"Hello~!" a male inmate greeted as soon as she stopped moving, drawing out the word with a lewd tone. "What do we 'ave 'ere?"

Blake noticed that his jumpsuit was truly a mess, a testament to just how long he had stayed down here. He had long hair and an equally long beard, both so matted with dirt that they could have been any color. His eyes were a sulfurious yellow, with predatory slitted pupils. He was lean and wiry, with the bearing of someone who knows the ins and outs of brawling.

"Hey!" the man continued, shoving Blake slightly when she remained quiet. "I'm talkin t'you!"

"Give it a rest, man" another voice called, its owner concealed in the darkness. "She probably can't even hear you, look at all the makeup. I'd bet she's fresh from a whorehouse, give her time to get the drugs out..."

"Even better" the first man grinned, roughly grabbing Blake by the shoulder. "She won't even resist!"

Blake silently sized the man up. He was far larger and more muscular than her, but he had poor balance and his muscles seemed relatively uncoordinated. Judging from the way he walked, he had poor footwork. She hadn't been able to beat the military man, but this poor fool? He wouldn't stand a chance. She quietly smirked to herself, beginning to reach up for his arm. This was going to be fun.

* * *

_[Vale Police Tower, Main Office Block]_

"Yes, Nora?" Ren asked, responding to his scroll beeping as he made his way toward the Chief's office.

"You remember how you wanted me to watch the faunus girl, right?" Nora replied, happily bouncing in a swivel chair in front of multiple moniters showcasing security feeds. "Well, she's already acting up!"

"Show me" Ren said, and his scroll went fuzzy for a second as Nora patched him through. When the static cleared, Ren watched as the faunus girl he had picked up was accosted by another inmate.

It was hard to tell exactly what was going on without audio, but the inmate's advances were clearly of the unwelcome variety. The inmate appeared to talk to the faunus, then shoved her. The inmate cocked his head, as if listening to someone else talk. Ren's eyes caught a sudden motion, and he nodded in approval as the female faunus grasped the man's arm in a two handed grip. Turning slightly, she pulled the arm back and placed her own shoulder underneath the inmate's. She jerked the arm down sharply before dropping it and slipping away. The inmate clutched his limp arm and broken shoulder, apparently screaming in pain. The female faunus warily watched him as she backed away, which Ren considered acceptable, since one could not regain their warrior's savagery in one day. The other inmates gave her plenty of room, and Ren knew the fight to be over.

"Good job" Ren complimented his partner, cutting the feed. "Keep me posted on further developments."

"You got it!" Nora saluted, nearly falling out of her swivel chair in the process. Ren almost smiled at her enthusiasm, and ended the call. He slid the scroll back into his jacket, using the moment to fully compose his thoughts. He had another conversation coming, and he was certain that it would be far less pleasant.

"Come in" the chief said, responding to Ren's respectful knock.

"You requested my presence sir?" Ren asked, carefully closing the door behind him.

"Indeed, sit down" the chief gestured at a chair in front of his desk. Ren took it and the chief assumed his own seat. "Tell me, Mr. Lie. How many days have you been here?"

"Including the day of our arival, two, sir" Ren replied, the chief's tense aura giving him a general sense of where this was going.

"Two days" the chief repeated, his voice still in an enforced calm. "Two. Days. And in those two days, do you know what you have done to me?"

"Sir?" Ren answered, deciding it was better to let the chief blow off steam then delay the inevitable.

"You two have caused me more fucking problems and paperwork than anyone else on the force has in their entire career!" the chief exploded, apparently incapable of holding his anger in any longer.

"I fail to see how our actions have created problems, sir" Ren commented, knowing that everything he and his partner had done was well within the line of duty.

"You caused plenty!" the chief retorted. "Hei Xiong, an important information broker and key witness in multiple upcoming trials, dead! By your hand, Mr. Lie! The Malachite Twins, wanted criminals for nearly every felony on the books, are missing from the scene. You could have easily arrested them! Over twenty-five dead suspects, property damage on a grand scale..." Ren readily tuned out the chief's anger, figuring that it would not last long after the explosion. His patience held through a full seven minutes of vicious invective, then finally snapped.

"What did you say?" Ren demanded, his voice deadly calm.

"I said I expected more of you" the chief repeated, his face livid with anger. "But apparently not even you can keep a leash on your completely psychotic part...ner..." the chief's voice trailed off as he suddenly stared down the barrel of a bladed Stormflower smg.

"I would not expect you" Ren stated, a slight shiver in his voice the only sign of his anger. "Or most anyone else, to understand what Nora has been through. She has had hell thrust upon her, at an age where innocence should have been the foremost thought in her head. As for keeping a leash on her? I do, Mr. Chief, I do. If I didn't, it would be this tower, not a poorly named and managed nightclub, that would be a smoking wreck on the street. I can tolerate insults to myself or my methods, but leave Nora out of this. Do I make myself clear?"

The chief nodded, sweat beading down his face as Ren reholstered his weapon and stalked out of the office. His anger had not been fully vented by his brief showdown with the chief, and though it didn't show on his face, people rapidly got out of the way of his flaring aura. He needed to meditate, cleanse his mind of this impurity, and he knew exactly who could help him. As counter-intuitive as it would seem, the antics and incessant conversation of his childhood friend always put Ren at ease. They were a reminder of why he fought, why he made every choice that he had, why he was willing to kill.

_Nora..._ Ren thought to himself, the corner of his mouth twitching upwards as he saw her sitting upsidedown in her swivel chair, spinning endlessly while cheering. _I will fulfill my promise to you. Always..._

* * *

_[Jaune's House]_

"Bleargh..." Jaune muttered, one hand vaguely flapping around as he vainly attempted to hit the 'off' button on his demonically loud alarm clock.

He felt horrible. His body ached, his stomach was cramped, light pierced his eyes like daggers, any and all noise was amplified to damaging levels, and his head felt like it was ready to explode. It wasn't fair, he hadn't had that much to drink. Twenty shots was normal, right? No, twenty was far from normal and he knew it. Jaune cursed the healing factor that his aura granted him, it always dulled the effects of alcohol when he was drunk and then left him high and dry when it came to the hangover. The clock mercifully went silent, and Jaune squinted up at his savior. It was a girl about his own age, wearing a hoodie and jeans. She had the most beautiful chocolate brown hair, looking rich and full and shining in the morning light, showing off her delicately cute bunny ears...

Jaune paused, people didn't have bunny ears. Forcing his eyes wider, Jaune realized that he had not died and entered the afterlife, but was instead lying on his couch at home. The girl that had turned the alarm off was Velvet, not an angel of the heavenly host. In order to test the validity of his newfound realizations, he rolled off the couch and onto the floor. Hearing a solid thud and experienceing pain across his back and side, he was forced to accept them as true. Groaning, he slowly began the arduous process of getting himself up, and was mildly surprised when Velvet's arms wrapped around his waist, helping him to his feet.

"Thanks..." Jaune mumbled, staggering into the kitchen. He began to prepare tea, but stopped when he realized that he was filling a pot with olive oil. Velvet giggled, taking care of the tea herself. Jaune sighed, realizing that this was likely to be a very long day.

Breakfast passed without any more mistakes, and the two set off for work. Velvet had wanted Jaune to call in sick, but he refused. Even though Qrow would have willingly given him the day off, he still felt obligated to at least make the effort. When they entered the Beacon Tavern, Jaune was glad that he had insisted. Yang was standing behind the bar, chatting up customers as she served breakfast and drinks. Yang hadn't tended bar since she had drunkenly initiated, and won, a truly epic fight that had resulted in more than one belligerent patron being taken to the hospital. Instantly deciding that his hangover had to go, Jaune quietly flared his aura until the residual effects of the alcohol had been burned away.

"Morning, Yang" he greeted, careful to keep his tone carefree so as not to alarm Velvet.

"Jaune!" Yang replied with a whisper, sounding conspiratorial. "Keep it down, as long as you're not here I..."

"GO BACK TO WAITING TABLES, YANG!" Qrow yelled from the kitchen.

"Damn" Yang swore goodnaturedly, stepping out from behind the bar. "Knock 'em dead, Jaune." Jaune grinned and took her place, easily picking up where she had left off.

Velvet went to grab a pencil and pad, but noticed that there was someone already waiting tables for her. She felt a small smile cross her face as she watched Ruby flicker between tables, enthusiastically taking orders and chatting with customers. Strangely, she also heard the whispering of wind behind her, and turned to face the kitchen. Qrow wasn't immediately apparent, but she did see a lot of black rose petals floating around in the indoor wind. Putting two and two together, she reasoned that Qrow had a smiliar semblance to Ruby's. However, judging from the fact that he never appeared once as the food seemingly appeared and cooked itself, he was far more skilled in using it.

"Should I help?" she asked the trail of black petals that was Qrow.

"Sure" Qrow replied, momentarily pausing his flickering to address her. "You could try cleaning the multitudes of dirty dishes. Sink's over there, along with a steamwasher and the dishes." Velvet nodded, and Qrow resumed his nonstop flickering. She glanced at the stacked dirty dishes, the already-full sink, and the waiting steamwasher. With a determined look on her face, she dove into the realm of cleaning china and cutlery.

* * *

When the lunchtime break rolled around, Velvet truly appreciated those who daily cleaned the dishes at restaurants. Keeping up with the rapid orders, especially during the lunchtime rush, was hard. She gratefully stepped away from the sink, eyeing the remaining pile and managing to convince herself that it was smaller than the starting one. She was about to go take a seat at the lunchtable, when her faunus hearing picked up a quiet groan. Normally, this would have been normal given the usual lunchtime shenanigans, but this one came from the cellar. Knowing that Jaune had disappeared down there several minutes ago, Velvet felt justified in going down to take a look. After all, he was suffering from one of the worst hangovers that she had ever seen.

The cellar was well lit and kept at a controlled temperature. Various kegs and barrels of ale, wine, and spirits were carefully stacked and organized, forming a labyrinth of wood. Following the sound of the groaning, Velvet quietly worked her way through the maze until she stopped dead in her tracks. Around a corner created by a very thick wall of barrels, there was a sort of apartment. It had a couch, multiple chairs, two wardrobes, and a desk with a very large computer screen. Maps of Vale and the surrounding areas filled the walls, and a metal door lead to who knows where.

However, all of that was unimportant. What was important, was the deathly pale body laying on the couch. A short and unruly crop of blond hair was disheveled, tanned skin looked somewhat faded, the winning smile had twisted into a grimace. Sun Wukong looked horrible as he gently stroked the thigh of his elevated leg, determinedly avoiding looking at his bandaged knee. He wore jeans and a collared white v-neck, both a little stained with blood. A monkey tail fell limply off the couch, adding to the image of dejection. Velvet was surprised, she hadn't known that Sun was a faunus. Then again, he had worked the bar, where the scent of alcohol tended to overpower most everything else, and he had concealed his tail.

She was about to walk over and ask how he was doing, when a sudden movement caused her to duck mostly back behind the corner. The metal door opened, and Jaune stepped through, holding a fresh roll of bandages and a tray with some bottles of liquid and some of pills. The two blonds nodded at each other, and Jaune set about undoing the previous bandage, which was already partially soaked through. Even without her faunus hearing, Velvet was close enough to pick up on their conversation.

"Damn..." Jaune whistled, looking at the mess underneath the bandages. "That must've been painful..."

"Looks worse than it feels..." Sun grimaced, wincing as Jaune cleaned the area and checked the stitching. "Should be fine in no time..."

"You're crazier than I am" Jaune complimented, pulling out fresh bandages and wrapping them around Sun's knee with care. "You're lucky, the bullet just barely missed your knee. Hit your lower thigh though, came dangerously close to an artery. You're going nowhere for a little while, Sun. Doctor's orders."

"Who gave you an MD?" Sun asked, laughing a little.

"My father taught me battlefield medicine..." Jaune replied, his face and voice unreadable. "Just about the only useful skill he ever imparted."

"Well..." Sun replied, clapping Jaune on the shoulder. "At least its being used for a good cause, right?"

"Yeah" Jaune brightened up a little, clasping his own hand over Sun's. "So, how badly did things go?"

Sun told him. He told him about finding their mark, a former White Fang assassin known for her level mind and willingness to negotiate. He told him about his fight with the Malachite Twins, about escaping from the armed guards. He told him about his brief fight with the military officers, and their even briefer flight before being nearly blown sky high. He ended with how Qrow had used his semblance to help them escape, unfortunately having to leave the faunus behind. Velvet was shocked, to say the least. Sun Wukong, her flirtatious and laid back coworker, was some kind of... Criminal? Vigilante? Terrorist? She didn't know, and she wasn't sure she wanted to know.

What made it even worse was the Jaune seemed to know. Jaune. Happy-go-lucky, lovable, occasionally-bumbling-but-still-in-optimistic Jaune. Jaune, who had taken her in and given her not a living space, but a home. Jaune, who had dried her tears and held her shaking frame close. Jaune, who had saved her from a depraved criminal. Jaune, who had sworn that she would never be hurt again. Jaune, who had disliked a formal function of high society almost as much as she had. Jaune, who was the most important person in Velvet's life, had been wearing a mask.

Down here, in this quiet little space, he wasn't casually confident, the man who picked his own lock every day and slept on his couch because he felt like it. He wasn't a suave bartender, performing tricks with spirit bottles and chatting up customers. He wasn't a young man of distinction, wearing a suit and seamlessly mingling with the upper crust of society. Here he was calm and focussed, a man who knew how to deal with bullet wounds and burns. A man with a will of iron and a determined goal. A man whose bearing spoke of combat skills born from relentless training. A man with the makings of a hero...or a monster. A man that was now walking her way, had nearly come upon her already.

Velvet bolted, trying to keep quiet and out of sight while maximizing speed. She heard a startled muttering behind her, quickly followed by the sound of running footsteps. She redoubled her efforts, trying not to get turned around in the maze of barrels around her. Sadly Jaune knew the maze like the back of his hand, and he tackled her from the side as she sprinted through an intersection.

"Velvet?" Jaune said, extremely confused. "I thought you were upstairs, eating lunch?"

"Get off of me!" Velvet demanded, thrashing wildly against his expert grip in a vain attempt to get free. "Get away!"

"Velvet, it's fine, it's me" Jaune asserted, getting off her but keeping a hand on her shoulder.

Velvet stared at him with fearful eyes. She had done the worst possible thing. She had pried into her master's private life, and now she was sure to pay the price. All pretense he had of caring for her would drop away, the act no longer needed to keep her in line. He would wield fear instead, fear of his terrifying internal self, the man behind the mask. He would be like everyone else, his humanity rotten away to the core. He would embrace her with his arms of...compassion? She looked down from her fear induced haze and saw that Jaune was carrying her bridal style, her head nestled comfortably against his shoulder. He had already ascended into the kitchen, and stepped out into the main dining area.

"Qrow" he called, his voice neutral. All activity around the table stopped as all eyes turned towards him. "We need to have a talk. All of us. About everything going on here."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Hey guys! Sorry for the comparatively long wait for this chapter, but real life decided to hit me upside the head with a bag of bricks. Among said bricks were an off-kilter sleep cycle, AP Summer work, physical therapy, and repainting the front door. Why I was asked to help with that while on crutches I don't know. So yeah, shorter chapter than usual, and if it's not 100% let me know and I will take it back for revamping. I just wanted to let you guys know that I'm alive and kicking. So yeah, R&R, favorite, hate, follow or flame, and as always, have a great week guys:)


	7. Catharsis

**Catharsis**

All the employees of the Beacon Tavern had gathered in the basement apartment, sitting in a circle of chairs that included Sun's couch. Velvet glanced around at all of them, trying to guage their reactions. Jaune was taking the proceedings seriously, his expression open but focussed. Qrow seemed resigned, as if he knew that sooner or later everything would have come out anyway. Sun looked mildly better off than when she had first seen him today, at least some color had returned to his face. Yang looked a little sheepish about keeping secrets, but was otherwise confident. Ruby was practically bouncing in her seat with excitement, overjoyed that Velvet would now be in the know.

"Well, Velvet..." Qrow began, his grizzled voice calm and collected. "I officially closed up the Tavern for the rest of the day, so feel free to question us until you're satisfied." Velvet nodded, hoping that any answers she received would be the complete and utter truth.

"What exactly is going on here?" Velvet demanded, trying not to let her fear show in her voice. "Why is Sun hurt?"

"Underestimated security on the last job..." Sun quipped, grimacing as he shifted slightly. "Nothing major."

"As for the 'job' itself" Qrow broke in, knowing that the monkey faunus would get the conversation off topic very quickly. "It was... well, I guess we should start at the beginning, shouldn't we? It all started when Jaune here came looking for a job. He showed up with a duffel bag on his back and a letter of introduction in his hand."

"Qrow had worked with my father during the war" Jaune explained. "So when I walked out of the house, I decided to go to him as the only family friend who wouldn't send me straight back."

"Well, I couldn't just leave a boy of fourteen to roam the streets, now could I?" Qrow continued. "So, I let him stay as a full-time employee. Everything worked out for about a month, then nearly went to pieces. Some fool came in here with a small gang at his back, wanted all the money we had. I talked for a few minutes, trying to negotiate my way out. But, Jaune here decided to play hero. He rushed off to his room, and came back with Crocoa Mors, the sword and shield that his father had ordered forged for him. He came out swinging, and I was about to rush in to save his sorry hide."

"This is where it gets good!" Yang stage whispered to Ruby, who nodded in response.

"Well, I needn't have bothered" Qrow went on. "Jaune here laid out the leader with one stroke, and the rest fled when they saw him coming for them. It was then that I decided to have a nice long chat with him."

"It was anything but nice..." Jaune shuddered. "At the time, it was downright scary! I thought Qrow was going to kill me for sure. But all he really wanted to know was why I had run away in the first place, so I told him. I was tired of my father's hypocrisy. It was easy enough to deal with when he was off fighting, but when he came home, he brought his hatred with him and never stopped preaching it. It gets glossed over a lot now that he won the war, but he used to be very supportive of the White Fang back when they were a peaceful advocate for the faunus."

"To the point where faunus rights could have been had as a political victory, not a military one" Qrow added.

"However" Jaune continued, looking downcast. "The leadership of the White Fang changed, and their tactics with him. Their opening strike was against any and all humans that could have lead an army against them. Assassins targeted my father, Qrow and the Rose family, the Lie Clan, and Astor Schnee."

"They only managed to kill four people" Qrow added, a look of pain crossing his face. "Summer's husband, the Valkyries, who were dining with the Lie's, and Astor Schnee's second wife. Though the whole affair was tragic, Astor and Damien Arc took it the hardest..."

"Why would General Arc be so disappointed?" Velvet asked. "He didn't lose any family."

"He did, Velvet" Yang said, seeing that Jaune and Qrow didn't really want to talk about it. "Astor's second wife, Cecelia, was originally from the Arc family. She was the sister of General Arc, Jaune's aunt."

"It wasn't the last of the Fang's attacks either" Sun added. "Suicide bombers took the lives of thousands of humans in cities and towns, even those who never directly supported the war. Hate and violence bred more hate and violence, and the brutality of both sides escalated to bestial levels."

Velvet felt her breath hitch. She had believed that the faunus were the only victims of the war, the only side whose citizens had been abused. Now she wondered how many innocent humans had been butchered by the White Fang. She felt sickened by the thought of the atrocities that both sides had committed, and almost asked for a break in the conversation. She was saved by a shift in topic by Jaune.

"Anyway" he said, breaking into her thoughts. "Once Qrow and I realized that we thought alike, he decided to keep me in his house until I could legally live away from my parents. My father wasn't too happy about it, but he was unwilling to fight with such an old family friend." Qrow nodded his head in appreciation of the compliment.

"And that was when everything really got started!" Ruby chimed in, unable to remain quiet anymore. "Jaune convinced Qrow that he wanted to start righting the wrongs of his father, so Qrow trained him up. At first, Yang and I had no idea what was going on in the cellar, but one day we decided to come down and have a look, and Jaune was totally holding his own against Qrow, and it was awesome! You should've..."

"I think what she's trying to say" Yang cut in, smoothly clapping her hand over Ruby's mouth. "Is that when Jaune finished his training with Qrow, Qrow had him take to the streets as a vigilante for more experience. We happened to walk in while they were planning a hit against some criminal or other while sparring, and we got pulled into their scheme too."

"As it turned out, they had decided to hit the ringleader of an underground faunus prostitution ring" Sun added. "After kicking his ass, they freed all the faunus he had and I offered to join them. Figured that I'd rather die fighting than hiding in a hole someplace."

"And then we had maybe ten other faunus on our hands" Qrow continued. "So we put them up in this cellar until we could find a better solution. We drew a few blanks before I remembered the Rose family lodge in Atlas. We got some forged papers together, put the faunus in the family name, and sent them up there as 'maintenance slaves.' It's a scheme we've been using ever since when we manage to free faunus."

"We knew that eventually the Lodge would be overflowing with people" Jaune added. "So we made some renovations and put up new cabins in the surrounding area, making a little compound. It's not much, but we trained a few of them to fight before we sent them off, and make trips to keep them in shape. Put a few bribes in the right pockets, and the most that they'll have to deal with is racist game hunters who've lost their way."

Velvet was stunned. This small, amazing group of people had been quietly saving faunus ever since the end of the war. She was ashamed for thinking that they might have been criminals, that Jaune could have betrayed everything she had come to believe about him. She wanted to cry, to hug him and apologize over and over again. But she still had some lingering doubts over the believability of their story.

"She looks a little lost..." Yang muttered to Qrow, and he nodded.

"Velvet..." he said softly. "I know that we massively abbreviated our story, an unbelievable one at that. So I make you two offers. First, we have a guest right now that is waiting for transport to Atlas, you can talk to him to your heart's content. Second, if you still don't believe us, you can come along on our next job." There were a few mutters of surprise at this second offer, but no one objected.

"I-I think I would like to talk to your guest" Velvet replied after several moment's thought. "Alone."

Qrow nodded, and stood up. He opened the nearby metal door, gesturing for Velvet to follow. There were two other doors in the small room behind it, both identical. One was labeled "workshop," the other was labeled "bomb shelter," evidently left over from the war. Qrow swung this second door open, revealing a twenty by twenty room with walls of reenforced concrete and steel. Cots with blankets were pushed up against the walls, and a small bathroom was walled off in one corner. A small circular table was in the center of the room, with a cot pulled up to it to act as a chair. Sitting on it was a brunette faunus playing a hand of solitaire. He looked up at the entry of Qrow and Velvet, and gave them a friendly nod.

"Hello, Brian" Qrow greeted.

"Hello, Qrow. Who's this?" he asked, standing and extending his hand towards Velvet.

"Velvet" Qrow replied. "She wanted to talk to you, she doesn't fully believe me." Brian nodded, finishing his friendly handshake and gesturing for Velvet to sit down. Qrow backed out of the room and closed the door. The two faunus sat on opposite ends of the cot, gathering their thoughts.

"You weren't rescued, were you?" Brian asked, his eyes boring into Velvet's. She shook her head. "Thought so. You wouldn't have needed a second opinion otherwise. So, how did you end up with this group of people?"

"I was bought" Velvet replied, unsure of what to make of this very blunt faunus. "And given as a gift to Jaune."

"You are one lucky girl" Brian commented. "Jaune is by far the best human I have ever met. He was the one who freed me, you know. He found me in a cage, being held by a faunus black market dealer. At the midnight auction, he shows up with his ski mask and his 'Paladin' getup covered by a trenchcoat. He bid twenty souls for me."

"Souls?" Velvet asked. As far as she knew, souls were not a currency.

"I know, I was confused too" Brian went on, grinning slightly. "As was the auctioneer. He asked for a clarification, and Jaune drew his sword, saying he'd take me in return for not bringing everyone in the room to the police. A fight ensued, though you couldn't really call it a fight. Jaune was the only one with a weapon and most of them just wanted to run. He got to me in time, but the rest of the slaves were still in the van, and the dealer got away. I'm surprised that the crew hasn't gone after them yet..."

"Umm..." Velvet interrupted, not wanting to be rude but also wanting to confirm that Jaune wasn't lying. "Why are they keeping you here?"

"Didn't they tell you?" Brian asked. "They have a safe haven for faunus up in Atlas. It's colder than a Schnee's frozen heart, but it's better than living as a slave."

"Oh" Velvet replied, the story now confirmed. She didn't know what else to say.

Everyone around her had worn their own mask, not to hurt her, but to keep her and as many other faunus as possible safe. Now that the charade was over, she knew that she had nothing left to fear from them, but her mind still concocted worry. Now that she knew, how would her relationships with them change? Would Jaune's usual cheer disappear, only to be seen while tending bar at the Beacon Tavern? Would he become calm and efficient, one who eschewed emotions as a hindrance? She didn't want him to become that way, but she had seen that personality show twice now, once when he had fought Russel and again when he had rebandaged Sun. She wanted him to remain his usual friendly self, to be the man who had welcomed her into his home. To be the man who had cooked for her and gotten her a job. To be the man who would encircle her in his arms and lock out the world when she was feeling at her worst, end her pain and make her forget her suffering. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and looked up to see Brian's red eyes gazing into her own. His expression was melancholy, filled with the painful memories and oppression of the past two years, but with the beginnings of a newfound iron will were forming behind it.

"He won't leave you" he asserted. "No matter how painful it gets, Jaune isn't the kind of man who will abandon his friends. He'll always be there for you, always." Velvet blushed a little, she really hadn't noticed how openly she had worn her emotions. Still, she was grateful for this conversation.

"Thank you" she said, pulling Brian in and hugging him. He patted her back with a smile, glancing up as Qrow opened the door a crack. Brian smiled and gave a thumbs up, and Qrow nodded in return.

When Velvet rejoined the group, it seemed as though they were all waiting on her verdict, waiting to know if she was going to accept them even though they had kept their largest secret from her. It was an unusual situation for her to be in, where she held the power to alter a person's emotions or lives. It was uncomfortable, and she decided that she never wanted to abuse this kind of power, as humans had so often in the past.

"Thank you..." was all she was able to say.

She wanted to tell them that she was the luckiest faunus in the world to have been taken in by them. She wanted to commend their efforts and offer her support, even if she could only cheer them on. She wanted them to know that they were the ones who had ended her fear and given her hope. Blessed hope, the one thing that makes all suffering bearable, all trials worthwhile. She wanted to express her undying gratitude for everything they had done and would do, but she could not. The words stuck behind a lump in her throat. In the few short days she had been with Jaune, she had been taken on a emotional roller coaster, and this final revelation that he and his friends could be the savoirs of the faunus was just too much for her to deal with all at once.

So instead of words, she settled on wrapping her arms around Jaune, fully intent on never letting go. After a second of surprise, Jaune brought his own arms down around her, understanding the depth of her feelings and giving her a safe haven to cry as she worked through her own catharsis. The haven was fortified by another pair of arms as Yang joined in, seeming to radiate with the warmth of a fire that promised protection and love to her friends and utter devastation to their enemies. Another pair of arms, Ruby's this time, her enthusiastic grip promising friendship and happiness to all who knew her. A tail curling around her waist, Sun's. Even though he could not stand, the flirtatious and outrageous monkey faunus was a steadfast companion, more than willing to lay down his life for any of his companions, who in turn would be more than willing to do the same for him. A hand on her shoulder, Qrow's. The old soldier held an unbreakable resolve, a determination to grant this group of young people a chance that he had passed up many years before. The chance to make a difference, to truly change the world. Surrounded by this group of kind and compassionate people, Velvet felt her heart swelling with happiness and love. The war had taken everything from her, her home, her family, her life. But now she had a new home, taken in by the best foster family a faunus could ask for, given a second chance. They would always be there for her no matter what, just as she resolved to always be there for them. It was faint and distant, but Velvet could see a light at the end of this horrid tunnel, a beacon of hope to all who would believe.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Hey guys! So, I know that this is a short chapter at just under 3000 words, but it was emotionally draining to write (probably because I stink at writing overly emotional scenes). But, you guys don't want to hear apologies. As always, if you think that this chapter is subpar I will take it back for editing and revamping. And while I still (hopefully) have your attention, I want to run a quick poll. I have three separate casts of characters that will be worked into this novel, two of which you guys have already met (as groups). So, seeing as all three plots are intertwined (and occur over the same period of time) and the order in which the next few chapters get released doesn't overly matter, I'll have a poll (conveniently found at the top of my profile page) running about which one of the three casts you guys wish to see. There will be a "I don't care" option, so if you don't care, let your voice be known! I will be working on all the chapters simultaneously, so this poll will tell me which to hurry up on and which can wait just a little longer. Sure, it will delay the next chapter slightly, but it was going to be delayed by the aforementioned simultaneous work anyway. So, after this _very_ long author's note, I wish you all a great week guys:)


	8. The Masks We Wear Part 1

**The Masks We Wear Part 1**

Time had passed rapidly while Velvet and the group had been chatting, and twilight had fallen over the city of Vale. It was a peaceful walk back to Jaune's little house, mostly spent enjoying the remains of the sunset in silence. Once they had arrived and changed into more comfortable attire hosever, Jaune's face grew serious. He sat down on the couch and motioned for Velvet to do the same. She sat and looked him in the eye, knowing exactly what he wanted to talk about.

"You're absolutely sure you want to go through with this?" he asked, sounding slightly concerned.

"I am" Velvet replied, nervous but adamant. "I want to help, just like all of you are."

"Alright..." Jaune acquiesced, standing up. "I just had to know. Well, if this is really going to happen, some important matters have to be taken care of. Follow me, please." Velvet followed him out of the living room and through the kitchen, right up to the locked basement door. Jaune pulled out a key and unlocked it, pulling the door open.

They stepped down the stairs, and entered a completely different world. While it was floored and walled with concrete like most unfinished basements are, it also contained a neatly organized selection of fitness machines, training dummies, target posters affixed to the walls, and a computer desk with a few different screens and keyboards. In short, it was a far cry from the very disorganized house above it, and Velvet was mildly surprised that Jaune was able to keep such a clean setup. He grinned at her evident surprise, gesturing for her to continue following him. He lead her to the center of what appeared to be a matted training floor, and then stopped, turning to face her.

"Important thing number one" he said, planting a hand firmly on her shoulder. "Do you have your aura unlocked?"

"My aura?" Velvet repeated. She knew what aura was, the manifestation of a person's soul. However, though she had attended a pre-combat school once upon a very long time ago, she could not remember any significant lessons about aura or how to apply it. "I don't think so..." Jaune nodded in acceptance.

"Close your eyes then" he said, closing his own with a look of concentration. Velvet complied, feeling Jaune's hand beginning to grow very warm. "For it is in passing that we achieve immortality, through this we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all else. Infinite in distance and unbound by death, I release your soul and by my shoulder protect thee!"

Jaune's voice seemed to ring unnaturally in Velvet's ears, and the warmth that had started in his hand seemed to flash down from her shoulder and deep into her core. It disappeared, and Velvet began to feel a second warmth, subtly different from Jaune's, beginning to pulse within her. It was centered in her core and spread slowly throughout her entire body, enveloping her in a protective bubble of heat and safety. She opened her eyes when she felt Jaune suddenly increase the weight he was putting through her shoulder. He looked a little staggered, taking deep breaths and blinking a few times.

"Are you...?" Velvet began to ask, but Jaune straightened up with a grin before she could finish.

"I'm fine" he assured her, grinning as he stretched out his back and a few other muscles. "Unlocking someone's aura is just kinda draining, that's all." Velvet nodded.

"How much do you know about aura?" Jaune asked, curious.

"Not much..." Velvet admitted. "Just that it comes from our souls and is thus unique to each person."

"Well, that's a pretty good definition of what it is" Jaune said. "But here's a short list of what it can do. It passively absorbs some of the impact from most physical attacks, as well as all aura and dust based ones. It can be manifested as a field to provide nearly impenetrable defense, or channeled through weapons and the body to increase offensive capability. It can provide enhanced senses and reflexes, even seal minor wounds like cuts, bruises and burns for a short while. It's a very useful, multipurpose tool that everyone who wants to fight needs to have." Velvet nodded, trying to commit all the uses to memory. She had no idea on how to go about doing any of those things, but she still made the effort.

"For now" Jaune continued, seeing her look of concentration. "Just remember that it can protect you somewhat from blows and help you stay mobile. It's also not infinite, so don't go trying to deflect bullets or punch your way through concrete walls just yet, that'll come in time. Now, for the second important thing..." He opened a nearby metal crate, pushing the hinged lid back and running his fingers lightly over the contents. After a few seconds he pulled out a rather boxy pistol, small enough to be concealed inside the front pocket of Velvet's hoodie.

"A gun?" Velvet asked, looking at the weapon with apprehension.

"Technically, it's a VENSU, a variable electric nervous-suppression unit" Jaune rattled off, turning back to face her. "Think of it as a really powerful taser that attacks the central nervous system instead of local motor neurons. It shoots custom ammunition that can be set to predetermined voltages designed to suppress, incapacitate, or kill. I keep the 'kill' option locked out though, so don't worry about that. Wanna try it?"

Velvet cautiously nodded, and he handed her the weapon. It fit comfortably in her hand, it's narrow rectangular barrel pointing out about three inches from the ends of her knuckles. Jaune stood behind her, resting his hands on hers as he showed her the proper stance and how to aim. She blushed a little at their closeness, grateful that her face could not be seen.

"...and the weapon has next to no recoil, so all you have to do is adjust for distance." Jaune concluded. "You got all that?" Vevlet nodded and took aim at a human shaped target on the wall.

She breathed in, making sure she was aiming at the center of mass. When she was satisfied with her aim, she flicked off the safety and clicked the weapon's fire selection switch onto 'suppress,' the basic taser setting. It would disable a person by using a controlled dose of electricity to cause involuntary contractions in their muscles. Exhaling sharply, she pulled the trigger. There was a muffled hiss of escaping gas, and the disk shaped round struck the target in the groin, instantly spreading out with a web of wires as it stuck to the wall.

"Remind me never to piss you off" Jaune quipped. "No matter what setting you're on, nobody's getting up for awhile after that..." Velvet winced a little, and aimed a little higher. This time, the wires spread out across the target's head.

"Dangerous, even at the lowest setting" Jaune told her. "The potential for serious injury is there, and the round is as good as wasted if the person has a high pain tolerance. Not enough muscles to disrupt, you see." Velvet took three more shots, each successively closer to the center of mass. She raised the weapon to try for a sixth, but Jaune held out a rectangular black box with a small maroon arrow pointing up on one side.

"Thumb the release" he said, pointing it out. "And put this in with the arrow pointing up and facing you." Velvet tried the process a few times, getting the motions mostly memorized. Once she did, she emptied the fresh magazine, missing only one shot that hit the target's shoulder.

"Think you got it down?" Jaune asked, and Velvet nodded, flicking the safety back on. He handed her two fresh magazines, and she reloaded her weapon before shoving it and the second magazine into her hoodie's front pocket.

"Alright..." Jaune continued, counting off on his fingers. "Aura, check. Weapon, check. Weapon concealed, check. Identity protection... not check." He pulled a removable tray out of the metal crate, and Velvet saw two more VENSUs and at least a dozen magazines, all slotted into cut out foam. Rummaging through the rest of the crate, Jaune pulled out several different kinds of masks.

"Well, take your pick" he said, laying them out before her. "We've got a traditional ski mask, but that might be painful on your ears, a full facemask, a half-mask, some scarves, and a bandana."

Velvet looked at all of them, which were unvaryingly black. She agreed that her ears would be very uncomfortable underneath the ski mask, and she pushed it to the side. The full facemask was made of a soft, breathable material that reached from her forehead to down and around her neck, keeping itself in place through its natural stiffness. Deciding it was too constricting, she also pushed it aside. She tried the half-mask, which was only stiff around the edges, and otherwise very comfortable. She could pull it up or down as she desired, and it wasn't too tight around her neck either. Seeing as the scarf looked a little bulky and the bandana could scratch her after awhile, she chose to keep the half-mask. She had to fold her ears against the side of her head, but with the mask and her hood pulled up she became completely anonymous. Jaune complimented her on a choice well made, and she pulled them back down, feeling a little self-conscious with this serious game of dress-up.

"Well, that's just about it for you" Jaune said, pulling out a pair of boots. "Unless you want a pair of combat boots?" Velvet shook her head, eyeing the heavy boots with distaste.

Jaune agreed and repacked the metal crate. He opened a second crate and began pulling out various pieces of armor. They mostly disconnected, providing adequate protection while still granting maximum flexibility and speed for their weight. They were plain, the unpainted metal showcasing multiple scratches and slightly shinier patches where Jaune had had to make a few repairs. Once the armor was on, which made Jaune look very handsome in Velvet's eyes, he pulled out and clipped a sheathed sword to his belt. It too was plain, except that the sheath looked to have some form of hidden mechanism, judging by the switch set to be triggered when one drew the sword. Over all this went a beat up leather trench coat, easily concealing the armor from passersby while still granting easy access to the sword. Finally, Jaune picked up a black ski mask, rolling it between his fingers with a small smile on his face.

"Masks are a beautiful thing, you know" Jaune said, unbidden. "They're the most liberating thing I know. Once you put on the mask, you're free. Nobody knows who you are, and nobody can judge you for what you do or have done. You can be anybody or anything you want to be. Masks can make the most timid person bold, or the most outgoing person shy. And the best part? Nobody can trace it back to you, because people don't remember your face, they remember the mask. They don't judge you, they judge the mask. This mask let me escape from my insecurities as the heir to one of the most famous men on Remnant. It allows me to set aside all my concerns and problems aside, set 'Jaune Arc' aside, and just be me. Behind this mask, I am the hero 'Paladin,' a vigilante committed to faunus equality and... I'm rambling, aren't I?" He looked up a little sheepishly, rolling the edges of the mask until it resembled a skullcap, and threw it on his head.

"I don't mind" Velvet replied, seeing that it meant a lot to Jaune that he could cast aside his baggage and be free, it was a feeling she could easily relate to.

"Well, let's go meet the rest of the gang" Jaune grinned, patting her on the shoulder. Velvet was expecting the stairs, but instead Jaune led her to a ladder that ran diagonally back into the wall. Following him up it, they surfaced through a mock sewer plate in the alley behind Jaune's house. Jaune turned up the collar of his coat, Velvet threw her hood over her head, and they walked off into the deepening night.

* * *

"Well well well!" Yang's voice came from the shadows. "Who's this new addition to the party?" She stepped out from behind a dumpster. They were in a very rundown section of the district, and a very abandoned one. The buildings looked like they hadn't held a living soul as a permanent resident since before the war.

Velvet glanced over, taking note of Yang's outfit change. She was wearing a short sleeved leather jacket that ended just above her waist, showcasing a thin band of perfectly toned flesh. Her cleavage was reined in by the valiant efforts of a bright yellow tank top, emblazoned on one side with silhouette of fire. She had black workout shorts on, accentuated by some sort of half-skirt ornament that hung behind her and swung with every step. For footwear, she had gone with thigh-high orange socks and knee-high leather boots. Black fingerless gloves were on her hands, accompanied by rather bulky yellow and black bracelets on her wrists. An orange infinity scarf was wrapped around her neck, reaching up to cover the lower half of her face.

"Phoenix" Jaune greeted, keeping his head down to provide maximum coverage for his face. "This is...damn! I knew I had forgotton something!"

"Phoenix?" Velvet asked, slightly confused.

"Only stupid people use their real names in this part of town" Yang explained, checking to make sure her scarf was tight enough to not fall off. "So we use pseudonyms. Our friend here is Paladin, I'm Phoenix, my sis is Red, our resident flirt is Trickster, and our boss is just Boss. Simple enough?" Velvet nodded, easily putting new names to the members of her new family.

"So, what name do you want?" Jaune asked. "It can be anything, anything at all."

Velvet was taken aback by the sudden question, feeling burdened with the responsibility of choosing a fitting name. Paladin seemed to fit Jaune, since he basically wore a knight's outfit and he fought for justice. Boss just as equally fit Qrow, since he was the oldest and most experienced of the group. Ruby seemed like the person who would choose a simple name like Red, and it was very similar to her name. She could see Trickster belonging to Sun, but why was Yang called Phoenix? Mostly to buy time, she asked.

"Simple" Yang replied, grinning under the scarf. "I _burn_." She slammed one fist into the palm of her other hand, her lilac eyes suddenly turning red and her hair flying wildly behind her as she pulsed with radiant fire. Ending the display before it became too noticable, she relaxed and turned the topic back to Velvet. "So, what name do you want?"

Velvet was trying, she really was. However, most of the nicknames she could think of ended up sounding racist, and the rest were all either too dull or too extraordinary. None seemed to fit her. She knew that it was irrational, but her mind began worrying needlessly over such a deceptively simple task.

"Well, you don't need to definitively choose today" Jaune told her, seeing the deer-in-headlights expression on her face. "You can always change it later if you want to."

"Umm..." Velvet responded, feeling a little less worried. "Satin?"

"Short, sweet, and a play on her name" Yang said. "It'll work."

"Agreed" Jaune replied, and Velvet breathed a silent sigh of relief. "So, what's the plan for this evening?"

"Well, Junior's club got absolutely wrecked the other night..." Yang began, leaning against the wall. "He was found dead at the scene, along with a good number of his henchmen. But, the Malachite Twins are still missing, and they were the ones that started him in the illegal faunus trade."

"All faunus trade should be illegal..." Jaune muttered, also leaning against the wall. Velvet followed suit, mostly so as to not be the odd one out. It was a little uncomfortable, but her hoodie protected her from the worst of the cold, hard material.

"So, wanna go hunt up some clues on where they are?" Yang continued, not having heard Jaune's comment. "Maybe kick their asses if we get lucky?"

"Normally, I'd say yes" Jaune replied. "But we can't fit three people on your bike, and someone has to look after Satin here."

"Alright" Yang said, seeing the validity of Jaune's point. "You two work the streets, and I'll hit up the major information brokers?"

"You know Boss doesn't want us going to them without backup" Jaune reminded her. "And I'm not going to lie to him. Again."

"But Paladin..." Yang pleaded, giving her best puppy eyes. "I just wanna have fun..."

"Red does those eyes better" Jaune commented. "You should stick to using your more _feminine_ assets."

"Really, Paladin?" Yang asked, amused. "You want me to give you a lap dance or something? We don't have all night here."

"..." Jaune looked like he was struggling between a laugh and a choke, his face flaming.

"Hmm? Are you that excited?" Yang teased, getting off the wall and slowly walking up to Jaune, swaying her hips the whole time. The final straw for Velvet was when Yang leaned way in, planting her hands at the small of her back.

"Leave him alone!" Velvet demanded, grabbing Yang's shoulders and shoving her.

"Ohhh~" Yang gloated. "Bunny's got bite!"

"It's fine, Satin" Jaune assured her, shaking his head a little to clear it. "Phoenix always acts this way. Which reminds me, if Trickster knew about how this could have gone down..."

"You wouldn't" Yang gasped, her eyes widening. She liked Sun, she really did, and she wanted her relationship with him to be more than just a drawn out fling. Still, she found it hard to shake her flirtatious personality, born of countless nights spent in clubs hitting up anyone who could give her information or favors. If Jaune was willing to tell Sun about her teasing, it could easily set her back in her attempt to convince the faunus that she was settling down enough to take a relationship seriously.

"Just stay away from the brokers, alright?" Jaune said, clapping Yang on the shoulder and giving her a look that was equal parts 'I'm sorry' and 'I understand.' "We can chat with them another night."

"Deal" Yang agreed, knowing Jaune to be a man of his word. "I'll take the pier, then. Bronzewig still owes me a favor or two, and he might have something useful."

"Alright, I'll take Satin and work the streets, see if there's anything unusual going on" Jaune replied, and they turned to face in opposite directions. "Best of luck."

"You too" Yang said, and they walked off, pulling their respective masks up.

Velvet followed Jaune into the darkening night, wondering how he could still see clearly. Her faunus eyes granted her exceptional night vision, a trait that was very useful to her. She was about to ask when she noticed that Jaune's eyes were glowing faintly, his blue irises standing out far more than they should have in the low light. She chalked it up to him using his aura, and let the matter lie. Instead, she soon became anxious at the silence. Jaune's footsteps were nearly inaudible, and he never spoke as he focussed entirely on his surroundings.

They passed several people on the streets, unsavory characters, prostitutes, junkies, and those who were obviously part of organized crime. Velvet shuddered inwardly every time Jaune stopped to talk, sticking close to him to assuage her fears. But, she knew that she would have to get used to these kinds of situations if she wanted to be of any help to Jaune at all, so she stuck it out as best she could. It was going to be a long, hopefully uneventful night.

* * *

"You alright?" Jaune asked, kneeling next to her and rubbing her back as she retched in the corner of an alley. "The first fight is always the worst."

Velvet glanced over at the two unconscious bodies, one of which was still twitching. She gagged, but managed to keep whatever remained of her dinner down. It had all happened so suddenly. They had been walking along after one particularly unhelpful man had told them to shove off. A startled yelp had come from a nearby alley, and Jaune had poked his head in briefly before charging. Velvet had followed as quickly as she could, watched as Jaune drew his sword and struck at a man, his shield unfolding and latching onto his left arm. The man had blocked with a baton, and strove to keep Jaune away from his partner, who was busy trying to strip a struggling woman. Velvet pulled out her weapon, but was unable to shoot for fear of hitting Jaune or the woman. Instead, she stood petrified as the fight unfolded. Jaune pushed the first man back deeper into the alley, and his partner rose silently behind him. He raised his hand, a collapsable baton unfolding. Velvet saw the baton rising, beginning to fall toward's Jaune's head. She didn't even realize that she had shot him until he was on the ground, his body convulsing as the electricity coursed through his muscles and shocked his brain into unconsciousness. She didn't see Jaune dispatch his opponent, because as she realized what she had just done, her body decided to punish her by divesting itself of her last meal.

"I... I'm fine..." she managed, spitting to clear her mouth. Jaune continued to rub her back until she straightened up. "The lady...?"

"She ran as soon as the other one got up" Jaune said, his hand now on her shoulder. "You sure you're up for this? We can call it a night if you want."

"He just..." Velvet couldn't say it. The man's body shaking and twitching on the ground had been one of the most terrifying sights she had ever seen. It was almost as if he had been beset by an army of invisible attackers, all beating him down with vicious hands.

"I know" Jaune said, and she could sense that he truly meant it.

"Let's question one last person" Velvet decided, trying to block out the images of the fight from her mind. "One more, and then go home."

"Alright" Jaune agreed, respecting her limits.

He led her out of the alley, and resumed walking down the street. The night seemed inexplicably oppressive to Velvet, as if something was watching her with a predatory gaze. She shivered a little, and kept close to Jaune, her human security blanket. Jaune had his hands deep in his coat pockets, his head down and his coat closed around him. There was no way Velvet could have known, but he was counting seconds, feeling an ominous presence drawing ever closer. When the streets finally grew deserted, the presence made itself known in the form of a tall man in a black uniform. He had long black hair pulled back into a ponytail, and a single dyed pink lock hung low over his left eye. His gaze was a curious cross between violet and pink in color, and he eyed them levelly. Velvet hid slightly behind Jaune as he turned to face this newcomer.

"So" the stranger said, slowly walking forward. "You are 'Paladin,' the infamous vigilante."

* * *

Yang's scroll went off in her pocket, and she growled slightly in annoyance. The man beneath her breathed a sigh of relief as she got off his chest to check the message, her jacket being halfway across the room. He knew that letting Blondie back into his 'office,' as he liked to call the quiet and abandoned apartment where he bought and sold information, was a bad idea. But, she had seduced him with that irresistable body of hers, and his will had crumbled before his common sense could take control. Now, he was tied to the bed with her thigh-high socks, and judging from the darkening expression on her face, he was about to give her what she wanted just to stay alive.

"Urgent call" she explained, pulling her jacket back on. "So, if you have anything on the Malachite Twins, anything, I highly suggest you tell me now." She leaned way in, holding up one gauntlet for emphasis. Dove swallowed, knowing that she would hurt him if he didn't give her everything.

"I know they scampered after Junior's was shot up" he began, talking fast. "I don't know where they are, but Lark, their usual smuggler, he bases his deliveries outta warehouse 3. He might know where to find them. That's all I got, I swear!"

"Fine" Yang said, knowing Dove to be honest under duress. "Sleep well~" She punched him in the temple, hard. After checking his pulse, she retrieved her socks and boots and went out to her waiting motocycle. Jaune had just sent out a general distress call to all their scrolls, an action only undertaken when severely outclassed or outnumbered.

"Hang in there Jaune, Velvet..." she muttered to herself, revving the engine. "Yang's coming."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Hey guys! Sorry about the poll not showing up for awhile last time, I forgot that one has to manually select to display it (derp). So yeah, Jaune and co. won the first time around, and now I have a second poll up to see what you guys think of who should be in the next chapter! So, R&R, favorite, hate, follow or flame, and as always, have a great week guys:)


	9. The Masks We Wear Part 2

**The Masks We Wear Part 2**

Ren had spent a fruitless morning monitoring various points of interest throughout Vale, hoping that Paladin or one of his friends would show themself and make his job that much easier. Sighing, he glanced away from the endless array of screens that displayed an equally endless supply of feeds from security cameras, surveillance drones, personnel cameras, and other monitoring devices spread throughout Vale's underworld. He should have known that it was useless, Paladin's record clearly stated that he operated only at night. Still, he felt obligated to make the effort, and it wasn't as if he had anything better to fill his time with anyway.

Nora was sitting nearby, idly flicking through feeds on her own, smaller array, keeping an eye on their faunus prisoner. She wasn't quite sure why Ren had taken such an interest in the cat faunus, but since he had, she knew that it was for a very good reason. She trusted Ren completely, due to being childhood friends and even having shared a room over the past five years. She quickly shook her head, wanting to get out of that vein of thought. She wasn't worried about what could have happened between them during the nighttime hours, but rather why she had shared with him in the first place. She yawned a little, having gotten no sleep the night before due to raiding Junior's nightclub. Ren noticed the yawn, sensed her flagging aura. He sighed again, glancing one last time at the screens before deciding to call it quits.

"Nora" he said, mostly to ensure that he had her attention.

"Yes, Ren?" she replied, still clicking through her own security feeds.

"You need rest" Ren stated, looking over at her.

"No I don't!" Nora protested, instantly forcing herself to perk up. "I'm fine, see?"

"You know I can sense your aura" Ren reminded her. "And you need a nap, badly."

"..." Nora pouted. She hated being away from Ren any longer than she had to. She could power through this day, it wouldn't be the first time.

"Come on" Ren said, knowing what needed to be done as he clicked off the screens. "I'll keep you company."

"You mean cuddles?" Nora asked hopefully, getting out of her chair and following Ren.

"Yes, Nora" Ren replied. "Cuddles."

"Yay!" Nora exclaimed, jumping and throwing a fist in the air. She drew several strange looks from nearby police officers, but Ren's stoic glare forced them to look away before Nora could notice.

By the time they returned to their bunks, Nora's usual abundance of energy had finally run out. She flopped facedown onto her bunk, barely having the presence of mind to toss her military cap onto the nearby night table. Ren placed his own down beside hers, and joined her on the mattress, carefully rolling Nora onto her side. She smiled contentedly and nuzzled closer to him, place her hands over his as they rested on her waist. Within seconds, she was asleep. Ren held Nora close, her gentle breathing and the beating of her heart a constant reminder that she was there. Ren never slept, it was less efficient than meditation and left him, and more importantly Nora, vulnerable to attack. That being said, it had been awhile since they had a chance to cuddle, and Ren decided to make the most of it. Closing his eyes, he felt the unfamiliar but welcome sensation of sleep washing over him, bringing him down into oblivion.

* * *

_ Her one true friend, Lie Ren, was sitting next to her, looking both formal and comfortable in his eastern styled jade-green jacket. They were enjoying an absolutely delicious meal at the Lie household, prepared by Mrs. Lie herself. Her daddy, a huge bear of a man covered in red hair, was conversing quietly with Mr. Lie. She was only thirteen, but she knew when her father was being deadly serious. She could only hear snippets of their conversation, but from what she did, she knew that she might not see her daddy for a long while._

_ Mr. Lie was talking about how some group called the White Fang was terrorizing people, how it was only a matter of time before war came. She didn't understand why the White Fang existed, she had always been taught that people should talk about their problems, to "use their words, not their actions." She was certain that if the White Fang just sat down with the people they were angry at and had a nice long conversation, then everything could just be smoothed over._

_ There was a sudden knock at the door, and the adults looked up, smiling. They knew that Mrs. Valkyrie was going to be late, and Mr. Valkyrie rose to go get her. As the front door opened, Nora heard friendly greetings, introductions. As her parents walked back into the room, she noticed that they were accompanied by a stranger in a dark tailed trench coat. He was tall, with slicked back spiky red hair and toned muscles. His face held a neutral smile, one that refused to reach his eyes. He was introduced as Adam Taurus, a White Fang negotiator that Mrs. Valkyrie had struck up a friendship with. As the Valkyries sat back down, a horrible sight was burned into Nora's mind, a sight she would never be able to forget..._

Ren woke to Nora's thrashing, and he instantly tightened his hold on her. Knowing she was in the grip of a nightmare, he quietly activated his aura, merging it with hers and sharing in her emotions. He felt a sudden chill in his chest, groaned as images and sensations flashed behind his eyes.

_Shouts of surprise, flaring auras. Blood lining the walls. Lie Orochi yelling for the kids to get out, to hide..._

No, they were laying on a bunk inside Vale Police Tower, safe.

_Running, running through the rain, chased by men in hoods and masks. Being hunted like animals..._

Ren growled, flaring his aura. He hijacked Nora's nightmare, replacing it with a measure of his own stoic stability. He felt her relax in his arms, shifting a little as relief washed over her. He barely had time to appreciate his success, when the entirety her nightmare crashed down upon him.

_A flash of pink aura, a muffled roar of pain. Her best friend stood over the thrashing body, breathing heavily as he picked her up and put her behind him. There were other figures, other flashes of aura. Screams of pain echoing into the uncaring night sky..._

When Nora woke, it was well after dinner. Ren was no longer with her, but she spied a note where his hat had been when they had curled up. Stretching, she plopped her own hat back on her head and read the note, tearing up slightly as she did.

"Oh Ren..." she whispered, realizing that she must have had another nightmare. "Why do you hurt yourself like this?"

* * *

Ren was stalking the backstreets of Vale's red-light district, his military uniform concealed beneath a trench coat. He knew that what he was doing was impulsive, dangerous. But after taking Nora's nightmare on himself, he needed release, needed to force himself to forget. Meditation wouldn't help him here, he couldn't achieve the level mindset needed while he was still so disturbed. He needed to channel his thoughts into a different vein, force himself not to live, but to survive. He had already interrupted fifteen crimes in progress, leaving broken and battered criminals in his wake. None of the fights had been satisfactory. He needed to be outmatched, needed to feel the exhilerating rush of not knowing whether he'd win or end up as mincemeat in a gutter. He needed to forget.

He heard a scuffle in a nearby alleyway, glanced in. With his aura enhancing his vision, he clearly saw two men sexually assaulting a lone woman, who struggled valiantly but futilely against them. He knew that these two men would be pushovers, but he couldn't just leave them to their own devices. He was about to reveal himself when he sensed a powerful approaching aura. Stepping back, he watched as Paladin himself rushed the two men, giving the lady enough time to get up and bolt. Ren caught her by the shoulder as she ran past, removing and offering his coat with an outstretched arm and a neutral smile. She wrapped it around her shoulders gratefully before disappearing into the night.

Ren returned his attention to the fight. One of the men went down beneath Paladin's blade, and the other collapsed just behind him, twitching. Paladin turned to face his partner, a girl in a sweatshirt and jeans. She was holding what appeared to be a taser in both hands, her stance correct but shaking. Without warning, she fell to her knees and doubled over, clawing away a facemask and vomiting. Ren felt a twinge of sympathy for this unknown girl, your first fight is always the worst. Still, she was working with Paladin, and he could not afford to be lenient. He knew that there were people nearby, so he waited, stalking the pair as the girl recovered enough to resume their journey. Ren quietly flared his aura, creating a tense atmosphere that drove away everyone except for his target. When he was quite sure they were alone, he stepped forward.

"So" he said. "You are 'Paladin,' the infamous vigilante." The reaction was instantaneous.

Paladin swept around, pulling his partner behind him as his right hand flashed down towards his sword and shield. As he drew them, Ren flicked his Stormflowers out of his sleeves and took aim. The two warriors stared each other down for several seconds while the girl quietly watched. Ren was mildly impressed. Even though this was apparently her first time as a vigilante, she kept herself remarkably calm, on the outside at least. He could sense the fear in her aura, recently unlocked, most likely by Paladin. Ren knew that the girl was a weakness that he could use, exploit her weakness and use her as a hostage. If Paladin cared for her at all, he would stand down. A nice, peaceful conclusion to the fight. The only problem lay in getting past Paladin in the first place.

Ren decided on speed as his first approach. He unleashed a hail of bullets at Paladin, rushing forwards. Paladin took the incoming bullets with his shield, his aura flaring a pale white color. As Ren moved to slip past him, Paladin swept his sword around in a flexible arc, forcing Ren to back off lest he be sliced by the incoming blade. As it moved through the air, Ren noticed that the blade was also glimmering slightly under the effects of Paladin's aura.

_He's either a prodigy or a fool..._ Ren thought to himself, knowing that enhancing more than one weapon or attribute at a time was incredibly draining.

Ren returned to the assault, his movements sharp and precise as he attempted to dash by Paladin's guard. It was useless, Paladin seemed to have an uncanny knack for predicting his movements, and reacting almost in the same instant as Ren. Backflipping away from a rather close strike, Ren changed tactics. If he couldn't circumvent Paladin, he'd go straight through him. Shifting his aura from the bullets of his Stormflowers to their blades, he rushed forward. His initial slash was met by Paladin's shield, a faint ringing filling the street as their auras collided. Paladin shoved him back, but Ren came back relentlessly, his movements swift and his chosen blows unpredictable.

Paladin turtled behind his shield, flaring his aura as he chose a completely defensive strategy. His sword was used only as a second line of defense, and Ren's eyes narrowed. He knew that with the levels of aura rolling off of Paladin, he should easily be able to fight back. His choice not to spoke volumes about his strategy, and Ren realized he needed to finish this as quickly as possible. Retracting his Stormflowers, he pivoted his body, flaring his aura and driving his palm into Paladin's shield. Their auras clashed with dancing sparks of energy, and Ren felt the asphalt beneath Paladin cracking and giving way. Using his momentum, he continued his spin and turned it into a flying roundhouse that sent Paladin sprawling. Ren landed on his hands and knees and pounced, landing on top of Paladin before he could recover. He raised his arm to strike his core, a blow that, when infused with enough aura, would leave the target senseless for hours. His arm fell, but not in the manner that he expected.

Ren turned to see the wires of a taser round wrapped around his arm and he instantly isolated the nerves, blocking all incoming signals to his brain. It deadened his arm, but it prevented him from being incapacitated from the electric shock. He glared at the girl who had shot him, slamming his other palm into Paladin's shoulder. It wouldn't hold him down for long, but it would take out his sword arm for awhile. Rolling forward, Ren rose and sidestepped as she fired a second round. He could see her shaking as she lined up a third shot. Flaring the aura around his hand, he ripped the wires off of his arm, casting them aside with a snarl. His arm was still numb, but he could feel the pins and needles that heralded returning sensation. The girl fired again, and again Ren dodged, moving forward and to the side. He caught the weapon in one hand and forced it away from him as he drove his elbow into her face. She yelped, dropping her gun and falling backwards onto the street. Ren flipped the weapon around in his hand, aiming at Paladin.

_How boring..._ Ren thought, checking the gun's magazine. _I barely exerted..._

His thoughts were cut off by the sudden roar of a powerful engine. Glancing up, Ren only had enough time to flare his aura in defense before he was brutally shotgun-punched by a gauntlet-wearing blonde doing over a hundred miles per hour on a bright yellow motorcycle. He went soaring through the air, dropping the gun before cratering a nearby building. He vaguely heard the morotcycle screech to a stop, urgent conversation passing between the rider and the girl. He felt pain spreading throughout his body, and he instinctively used his aura to blunt it. He groaned, watching with blurred vision as the blonde biker picked up Paladin's female companion, speeding off into the night. Paladin glanced back at Ren one final time before he too disappeared, clutching his wounded shoulder.

Ren sighed, knowing that he had probably broken something when he had hit the wall. He managed to get his scroll out of his jacket, mercifully undamaged. He tapped it a few times, sending his location to Nora, the only person he trusted to pick him up. His vision swam, his breathing hitched far more often than it should have. He had definitely broken a rib, and that rib had probably punctured a lung. Yes, that would explain the slight trickle of red that he occasionally coughed up. He could feel his legs, which meant that his spine was undamaged, something to be grateful for. He estimated the healing time for his injuries to be around two weeks with his aura alone, one if extensive dust therapy was used.

He gazed up at the night sky, where a few uncaring stars twinkled. His head was clear now, he could return to his hunt for Paladin and his companions after he had healed. Even though this fight was his loss, it still provided valuable firsthand experience that could be used later. He heard the sound of a siren, saw flashing red and blue lights as an ambulance stopped nearby. A redheaded bundle of energy exploded out of the driver's seat, rushing over and kneeling by his side.

"REN!" Nora shouted, cradling his head in her lap. Ren almost smiled at the expression of worry on her face, aside from the lack of rain and blood, their pose mirrored that of the events from five years ago, the events that had set them down this path.

"Nora..." he said, reaching up and cupping her cheek with his hand, quickly covered by one of her own. "I'm fine... I'll always be fine. For you. Forever, just like I promised."

Nora nodded, swallowing back tears. Ren was stoic and understated many things, but he was far from emotionless. Underneath his cold exterior Ren truly cared for Nora, to the point where he had taken all her pain on himself. He banished her nightmares, kept her company, held her when the past overwhelmed her. He chose to be stoic to keep everyone else from knowing of their pain, to keep everything inside where it could be controlled. In return, Nora kept up her usual bubbly attitude, enjoying life to the fullest for both of them. If he was going to take all the pain, she was going to ensure that he had an easy a life as possible. She grinned back at her partner's almost smile, slowly helping him up and half carrying him towards the ambulance. As she laid him down on the gurney, she noticed that he had fallen unconscious from his wounds. She sighed a little. If bursts of reckless violence were what it took to get Ren through his self-imposed mission to keep her happy, then she would always be there to patch him up and help him move on. They would be together, as a team, forever.

* * *

_[The Pit, Vale Police Tower]_

Blake snarled, scaring off yet another faunus who was approaching her with all the wrong intentions. She was sitting with her back against the wall of The Pit, idly passing the time in utter boredom. After her brief encounter with the first faunus that had tried to take advantage of her, very few dared to approach her for any reason at all. Those who did were obviously trying to prove a point, a point that Blake disproved by sending them scampering. Unbidden the image of her one-time partner floated into her mind, his face contorted in a snarl of defiance similar to Blake's own, the image suspended in the instant of time just before he had been cut down by Schnee security.

_Adam..._ Blake thought to herself, pulling her knees up to her chest and rocking herself slighty. _Why did it all have to go wrong?_

It had been one of the final acts of the White Fang, a last ditch effort to inflict as much pain as possible before the inevitable victory of the human armies under General Arc. She and Adam had been selected to infiltrate the Schnee Mansion and assassinate Astor Schnee's daughters, Weiss and Winter. The idea of killing children was distasteful to Blake, but she knew that it would disturb the mind of Astor, lowering his combat readiness and potentially withdrawing him from the front lines. They had made it inside the house easily enough, clinging to the bottom of the truck that stopped by every evening to deliver food and other supplies that the housekeeper had ordered and slipping through an unattended window. They had even made it to the girls' rooms without being seen. The problems began when they actually tried to kill the two young Schnees.

* * *

_[Two Years Ago]_

_ Blake drew Gambol Shroud, stealthily padding up to the bedside of one of the girls. She took no notice of the opulent and stark white room, raising her blade above the girl's neck. Moonlight streamed through the window, making the girl's long and frost white hair seem to glow. Blake readjusted her grip on the weapon, gazing down at the defenseless girl before her. Blake didn't want to kill her, even if her death could help remove one of humanity's greatest warriors from the fight. The killing of innocents was wrong, and Blake had vowed never to take a life that had not harmed the faunus. Still, this girl was a Schnee, set to inherit the greatest business empire ever built off of faunus labor and racial brutality._

_ The girl shifted slightly in her sleep, and Blake was brought back to reality. As much as it pained her, this girl was going to die to night, either by her hand or by Adam's. Knowing that her partner liked to toy with his prey even when it came to assassinations, Blake firmed her resolve. She checked the position of her blade relative to the girl's neck one final time before slicing downwards in a single, clean stroke. Just before the motion began, a shrill scream exploded from the room next door, and Blake cursed Adam's sadism, putting a little extra force behind her sword to speed things up. The girl in front of her instantly sat up, and Gambol Shroud just barely connected, leaving a jagged cut across her left eye. This girl did not scream, instead summoning a glyph that hurled Blake back against the wall. The screaming from the next room devolved into a choked gurgling, and Blake heard the sound of Adam cursing and yelling at the girl to stay still._

_"WINTER?!" the girl called, her face set despite the sudden and potentially lethal interuption to her sleep. The gurgling briefly intensified before being broken by a few coughs and a rattling breath, then went deathly silent._

_"WINTER! WINTER!" Weiss screamed again, beginning to get out of bed. Blake raised Gambol Shroud, the faithful weapon shifting into scythe mode so she could shoot Weiss and get this whole affair over with. Before she could properly aim, Schnee security kicked down the door._

_ Cursing, Blake fired blindly over her shoulder as she sprinted across the room and dove out the window. A second explosion of broken glass nearby told her that Adam had also bailed. Floodlights illuminated the grounds brighter than day, a siren wailed, hounds barked and snarled, guards shouted orders as they stormed towards the two faunus assassins. Blake and Adam ran, hoping against hope that they could escape, that they would survive to see another miserable day._

* * *

It wasn't meant to be. Not long afterwards, Adam had been hit in the thigh by a lucky shot. Knowing that he couldn't escape, he chose to remain behind and buy precious time for Blake with his life. Blake had run, listening in on Adam's swearing and insults through her earpiece as he fought as best he could. Finally, everything went eerily silent, and Blake's breath had stuck in her throat.

"Blake..." Adam's voice had faintly called through the radio. "Always remember... the most dangerous kind of enemy... is one with... with nothing... nothing to lose..."

Blake snarled to herself, angrily wiping away tears that had sprung unbidden to her eyes. She hated how she had run that night, how she had abandoned Adam to save her own life. She knew that it was necessary, she would have died with him if she had stayed. Still, she wished that she had, so that she at least would not have to die alone. She had returned to the White Fang safehouse they had started from, found it in shambles, human soldiers still picking through the rubble for survivors. She had tried to run, but she was brought down by a sniper with tranquilizer darts. The only reason that she lived was that the war ended the next day. After she had been 'interrogated' beyond her limits, she had been thrown on the new market for faunus slaves. She had watched, broken as faunus were bought and sold, families torn apart, her bretheren beaten and abused. She had been picked up by one Melanie Malachite, a black-haired girl with an extreme liking for the color white and an attitude. Blake had instantly hated her, from the full-body examination she was forced to undergo to the lewd outfit and makeup she had been made to wear.

And then, Melanie had handed her two little pills and a glass of water. Once Blake took those pills, everything had changed. She had been introduced to Junior's nightclub, first as a dancer, later as a prostitute. She enjoyed the bright lights, the pounding music, the people who she 'entertained.' Life had become far less hostile, less threatening. However, in the down moments when the drugs wore off, she still remembered Adam and his last stand. She remembered all her self-hate, and she escaped. She took another dose of whatever it was that Melanie was offering to her and went right back out into the nightclub. She wanted to forget, to erase her past and remain surrounded by this world of cheap delights and transient relationships, to never feel pain again. She had buried her inner warrior for two years, had nearly succumbed to the delights of living after midnight, had nearly forgotten who she was.

That military man had reminded her, had torn away her mask of drugged complacence and shown her what she used to be. Even if it was unspoken, he had dredged the past up in her mind, forced her to remember things she would rather forget. And yet, he had also shown her the unbroken soul of a warrior, the inner calm and poise that came with utter confidence in one's skills. It was a soul that Blake had once had, and one that she had not realized how much she had missed until now. Unknowingly, this man had rekindled Blake's nearly dead ambition, and a tiny flame of defiance now flickered in her heart. She needed to get stronger, avenge her comrades, liberate her enslaved brothers and sisters. She glanced around, the forms of other faunus half concealed by shadows in the distance. Slowly, she smiled. She had all the time and partners in the world to train, it's not like they were going anywhere or had anything better to do.

_Just you wait..._ She thought to herself, her smile turning feral. _Next time, it'll be you who's sprawling on the floor..._

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Hey guys! So, here it is. Next up, the mystery cast! I have no prizes to hand out, but virtual cookies and kudos to anyone who can correctly guess the 3-4 people I'm introducing (hint, up to two may be OCs). You've heard all the names, I assure you. So yeah, R&R, favorite, hate, follow, flame, and as always, have a great week:)


	10. The Masks We Wear Part 3

**The Masks We Wear Part 3**

The sounds of combat rang through the armory, steel clashing with steel and the hiss of spent dust particles floating gently to the ground. A massive suit of Dark Armor brandished an equally massive broadsword with absurd ease, facing off against a comparitively tiny young woman. She wore a white combat skirt, a light blue bolero jacket with red lining, heeled white boots, and wore her hair back in an off-center ponytail. She held a rapier in her hand, lightly settling into her guard as she watched the Dark Armor during a lull in their confrontation.

The Dark Armor charged, making a fatal mistake in its decision to rush the girl. Her face remained impassive as she summoned a glyph beneath her feet, flying into the air as the chamber of her rapier spun, selecting a cartridge of pale green dust. Utilizing a random path of glyphs, the girl danced in the air around her opponent, striking deeply and rapidly through the Dark Armor's outer shell. The Armor attempted to swat her out of the sky, but she merely leapt away, using the Armor's own momentum to shear clean through its outstretched arm at the shoulder. The Dark Armor attempted to back away, raising its broadsword in a defensive posture. The girl's eyes narrowed, and she allowed herself to fall to the floor as the chamber of her rapier spun again, this time selecting blue dust.

Striking the flat of her blade against the ground, she summoned a field of ice that coated the entire floor as she knelt to reduce the impact of her landing. The Dark Armor staggered, slipped, and fell as its enormous weight suddenly made it unwieldy. Again forming a glyph underneath her feet, the girl spun the chamber of her rapier one last time, selecting bright red dust. The glyph beneath her ceased spinning and faded in hue from white to black, then slung her up and forward with astounding force. Coming down in a perfect arc, the girl flipped her blade in her grip, bringing both hands up to grasp the weapon's hilt as she drove the tip into the Dark Armor's chestplate. The resulting explosion sublimated the ice into steam, and the girl was only spared a similar fate due to her aura.

Standing amid the wreckage of her fallen foe and surrounded by a concealing mist, the girl could pretend for a few precious seconds that she wasn't one of the most important people on Remnant, revel in her forbidden freedom. Of course, all good things must end. The mist cleared, and a small army of cleaning staff emerged to cart away the remains of the Dark Armor for reforging and to repair the damage to the room itself. The girl sighed, leaving the training grounds to its caretakers as she passed back into the armory. She reluctantly replaced her rapier on its stand, unwilling to part with her favorite possession. She hadn't broken a sweat in fighting the Dark Armor, even with the difficulty raised to 'Lethal.' Still, she made her way to the showers, more as a way to delay the inevitable than anything else. She did not want to return to her life of luxury, a life where everything had been planned out and handed to her on a silver platter.

As she stepped into the warm embrace of the running water, she caught herself lightly tracing the scar above her left eye with one finger. She tightened her hand into a fist, brutally suppressing the memories of that one night. Winter, her sister, had lost her life to a faunus assassin, literally one day before the war ended. She hated the injustice of it all. Winter had been a little angel, flawless and cutely naive. The girl was glad that the shower masked the few tears that leaked from the corners of her eyes. Winter didn't deserve what had happened to her. She, not Winter, had been the one groomed to take control of the company after the eventual death of their father. She, not Winter, had been raised to be ruthless and logical, to be a formidable negotiator and an effective leader. She, not Winter, had been the one who had embraced her father's hate of the faunus as the death toll of innocent civilians and family friends alike rose alarmingly.

Yet it was she, not Winter, who had survived. She gazed at herself in the mirrored shower stall, seeing a cold, haughty girl with a faded scar and judgmental blue eyes stare back at her. A face that rarely assumed any expression other than that of disdain or feigned politeness, often assuming no expression at all. A face that she wanted so desperately to not call her own. A face she couldn't stand looking at for another minute. The face stared back at her impassively, broken and tinged with tiny rivulets of red. The girl muttered a curse as she gazed at her right hand, blood running across her knuckles and a few shards of embedded glass.

Pulling the glass out with a grimace, the girl ran her hand under the shower for a few seconds before stepping out, using a spare bathrobe belt as a makeshift bandage. She tied the silken band tightly, the pressure keeping all but the tiniest trickle of blood from seeping out before it stopped altogether. She changed from her combat attire into an elegant white sundress and sandals, checking the clock as she did so. She nodded, satisfied that she had timed her exercise perfectly. Sweeping from the armory, she strode down the halls and paused briefly in front of an elegantly engraved wooden door. This particular door led to a relatively small sitting room, where her newest most frequent guest was waiting for her arrival. Taking the briefest of instants to compose herself, she pushed the door open and stepped inside.

"Good morning, Miss Schnee" Ozpin said, bowing deeply.

"Ozpin" Weiss replied, nodding in return.

They sat across from each other, a coffee table between them. The two had been meeting nearly three times a week recently to negotiate the terms of Weiss' impending marriage to Jaune. While this task would have normally been conducted between Ozpin and Astor Schnee himself, Weiss had somehow convinced her father to let her negotiate her own marriage as a test of her skill. So far, it seemed like both sides were evenly matched. Ozpin was shrewd, well-versed in the use of clever language and equivocal statements. He preferred to trick his adversaries into giving up their claims rather than forcing their hands. Weiss however, was far more ruthless, willing to use anything and everything to her advantage. Like the previous night, for example.

"To begin with, I would like to personally apologize for Jaune's conduct" Ozpin said, his voice sincere. "I've told him many times to remain sober at formal events, but he never seems to listen."

"Indeed" Weiss agreed, her eyes narrowing. The was a vague possibility that she could use this transgression to lower her family's expected contribution towards the marriage, probably not by much, but it was a matter of principle that she try.

_[Three hours later]_

Weiss and Ozpin sat back in their chairs, neither quite satisfied with the latest draft of the marriage contract. However, as it was at least acceptable to both sides, Ozpin agreed to call it quits for the day and run it by Mr. Arc. He stood, bowed, and left. Weiss waited until she heard the door click behind him, then let out an audible sigh of relief. Negotiating with Ozpin was like trying to herd cats, every time she thought she had nailed him down on one point, he would bring up another, equally important one, and derail some of her progress on the first as the conversation chased after the new point. Still, she had given as good as she got, and now she had to just run it by her father, a rather unenviable task. Even though it was common knowledge among all involved that Astor planned to give generously to the new couple because of his longtime friendship with Damien Arc, he still wished for the symbolic victory of forcing the Arc family to pay for most of the wedding and provide the most gifts through the marriage contract.

Sighing, Weiss stood and took her copy of the revised document, sweeping out of the room to go visit her father. The door she paused in front of this time was positively ornate, engraved with scenes of hunters and huntresses holding back a horde of grimm around the borders, with the Schnee family crest in the center. Weiss drew in a deep breath, held it for a few seconds, and let it flow out of her, hopefully accompanied by some measure of her anxiety. Before she could change her mind, she raised her hand and knocked politely.

"Enter" came a cold, dispassionate voice, and Weiss stepped through the door.

"I assume the contract is more satisfactory this time?" Astor asked, sitting with his back to his daughter in an impressive high-backed wooden chair.

"It is, father" Weiss replied, setting the contract down on his desk and curtsying, even though he couldn't see her. He waved a hand, dismissing her without even turning around. Weiss curtsied again and left the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

Glancing at a clock on the wall, Weiss sighed. She had precisely sixteen minutes and fourty seconds to make herself presentable for her noon luncheon with Pyrrha Nikos and her fiancee, Cardin Winchester. She made her way up to her room, where she changed from her sundress into a far more formal one, pulled her now-dry hair back into its usual ponytail, applied the merest dusting of makeup to her face. The clock struck twelve as soon as she set foot in one of the mansion's many parlors, perfect timing. Mere moments after she sat down, a butler ushered in her guests.

"Mr. Winchester, Ms. Nikos" Weiss greeted politely, nodding.

"Ms. Schnee" Pyrrha replied, returning the nod with a smile. She was dressed in a very modest red dress which reached down to her ankles and had sleeves down to her wrists. Cardin, who was dressed in an uncomfortable-looking suit, merely grunted. He was a last-minute addition to this long-standing date and he knew it. After it had been announced that they were to be married, it was expected that they go everywhere and do everything together, something that he detested. Why couldn't a man have some time on his own?

"Tea?" Weiss offered, half-reaching towards the silver tea set that rested on a central coffee table.

"Please" Pyrrha said, smiling and sitting down opposite Weiss. Cardin shook his head, sitting next to Pyrrha.

Weiss poured two cups of tea and handed one to her oldest companion. The next hour was filled with meaningless conversation, mostly dominated by Cardin. While Pyrrha seemed to be content to simply sit quietly and listen, Weiss slowly grew frustrated at his blatant lack of respect for social etiquette. Finally, she suggested that Cardin would be better entertained by practicing his skeet shooting than talking, an offer Cardin dismissed with a smirk.

"If I want to talk" he said, his voice filled with arrogance. "Then I will talk, and you will listen. Have you forgotten how the rules of our little world are balanced?"

Weiss silently ground her teeth, somehow managing to keep a cold smile on her face. What Cardin said was true, men were set far above women on the social ladder of high society. However, though this was the case, men were also expected to be gentlemen, respect the wishes of the ladies and all that chivalrous bullshit. If Weiss had her way, high society would be a meritocracy, where your own skill determined where you belonged.

"Perhaps there's some merit to Weiss' suggestion" Pyrrha offered, putting a hand on Cardin's arm. "We could at least carry this conversation on outside, get some fresh air." Cardin really didn't have any grounds to object on, and the three moved outside into the lush gardens of the Schnee Mansion. Cardin, who had no eye for natural beauty, instantly turned to resume his monologue when he noticed that Weiss and Pyrrha had disappeared.

"...Whatever..." he grumbled to himself, glancing around. Perhaps he would practice his skeet shooting.

* * *

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Weiss asked, sitting next to Pyrrha on a bench deep within a maze of hedges.

"It's about marriage..." Pyrrha began, folding her hands on her lap and looking down. She was grateful that Weiss knew the grounds like the back of her hand, enabling them to escape from Cardin almost in the same instant that they stepped outside. "I wanted to know your opinion."

"It's a social institution that legalizes the relationship between a man and a woman" Weiss replied, offering the definition that had been pounded into her head since birth. "Nothing more, nothing less."

"I said I wanted you opinion, Weiss" Pyrrha grimaced. "Not a lesson in etiquette."

"It's a prison" Weiss sighed after a moment's thought. "A means to perpetuate our little world and maintain the current social order. Among normal people, marriage is an expression of love. Among us, it's almost as if the families can compete to see how many 'lucrative' brides they can win for their sons. It's disgusting and deameaning, how we're supposed to go along with it without question."

"I see" Pyrrha said, nodding. "At least you got paired with Jaune..."

"What do you mean, 'at least'?" Weiss asked, confused. "He's pathetic!"

"No he's not!" Pyrrha returned, with more forcce than Weiss expected. "He's not. He's gentle and kind, understanding and accepting. He doesn't care about our little world, he's never seen a point in it. When you two get married, he'll try his hardest to make you happy, because that's what he does. I envy you Weiss, I really do."

"It's not like you're dredging the depths either" Weiss replied. "The Winchester family is well-respected and..."

"The family is" Pyrrha broke in, slowly pushing back the sleeves on her dress. "Cardin shouldn't be." Weiss inhaled sharply, her eyes narrowing in anger. Lining Pyrrha's arms were fresh bruises, far too many for even the most strenuous of training sessions.

"He's a cunning beast..." Pyrrha continued. "He knows where to strike so that the marks won't be visible. I can manage it now, when we don't spend too much time together, but after we're married..." Weiss pulled Pyrrha into her arms, stroking the redhead's hair.

"Why don't you tell someone?" Weiss asked, feeling her anger simmering. Myrtenaster was in the armory, if she ran, she could have Cardin castrated within ten mintutes.

"It would incite scandal" Pyrrha replied. "The Winchester family has done a lot to keep Cardin's problems under wraps, and breaking off the engagement this close to the marriage will just reignite tensions..." Weiss rubbed Pyrrha's back, encouraged slightly when the redhead slipped her arms around Weiss in return. She knew that Pyrrha's marriage into the Winchester family was part of a deal that was intended to end an old family feud, thus why neither party truly loved the other.

"You could fight back" Weiss offered. "Just enough to keep him from hurting you."

"I tried that, the first time" Pyrrha replied, her voice starting to crack. "It worked for a little while, then he came back with even more brutality. The less I resist, the less he chooses to...to..." Her voice broke, and she burried her head in Weiss' shoulder. They sat in silence for awhile, unsure of what to say. Weiss realized just how lucky she had been in getting paired with Jaune, he really was far too kind for his own good, and would never dream of hurting a soul. They stayed together until the sunset painted the sky in beautiful warm tones of red, orange, and pink.

* * *

When Pyrrha finally had to leave, she did so with a forlorn smile. Weiss saw them off personally, keeping her expression neutral so as to not alert Cardin to the fact that she knew. She desperately wanted to hurt him, make him pay for his actions, but that would also bring everything out, and restart a whole slew of horrible events. So instead, she waved politely as their chauffeur drove them off, hating herself for her powerlessness.

The whole system was rotten to its core, an abomination, a holdover from the long-gone glory days of Hunters and Huntresses. The Grimm were a dying breed, pushed well beyond humanity's borders and deep into the uninhabitable wilds at the extremes of Remnant. As there grew to be less and less work for Hunters and Huntresses, they turned more and more to maintaining their exalted status in society, flaunting their wealth and adopting extreme arrogance as a method of putting distance between them and commoners. Her father had been at the forefront of that change, right along with Damien Arc. Together with a few other great heroes, they had been the ones who reduced the Grimm to a shadow of their former might, scattered them to the winds, removed them as a threat to the human race. Yet, because of this, they had also been the ones to trap their children into this horrible world of manners and formal dances and proper etiquette. And the worst part? They had done it with the best of intentions, the very foundation of the road that leads straight to hell.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

So yeah, that just happened. Before I continue, I want to clarify that I do not endorse domestic violence, it is a plague that should be eradicated from this world with extreme prejudice. On a more happy note, I apologize for the shortness and the lateness of this chapter, both of which are a direct result of school returning. Anyway, here's the plan for this story during the school year: I'll update as often as I can, but it will probably be once per week or once every two weeks. I will update my one-shots collection as soon as I receive prompts, so if you want to see more prolific writing, check that out and/or leave a prompt of your own. I currently have about four prompts sitting in my notebook, provided by readers just like you. Well, enough self-promotion. And, just to explain why there might be a slew of updates to this story over this weekend, I finally managed to figure out how to preserve line breaks in the doc editor (thank you, Tales from the Lee), so I will be going back to edit old chapters to increase clarity. Have a great week, guys:)

**PS:** 10k views and over 100 followers, I love you guys so much! (In the most non-creepy way possible)


	11. Recuperation

**Recuperation**

"Ach..." Jaune grunted, hissing slightly as Qrow popped his shoulder back into place.

"You're lucky" Qrow commented, rolling the appendage in its socket to ensure that it still worked properly. "That kind of attack can permanently damage nerve and muscle tissue, so that you're able to use your arm at all is a miracle."

"Thanks for the confidence boost, Qrow..." Jaune muttered, pulling his shirt back on and standing up from his chair. They were in the workshop beneath the Beacon Tavern, a surprisingly large room filled with various machinery, medical supplies, weapon lockers, a concealed exit ramp, and Yang's motorcycle.

"Not at all" Qrow returned dryly, patting Jaune lightly on the back as the two made their way back into the small apartment area of the cellar. The whole group glanced up as they entered and took their places in the circle of chairs. Velvet in particular looked at Jaune with worried eyes, which he brushed off with a small smile.

"So, what did we learn?" Qrow asked, all business as he turned his eyes towards Yang.

"The Malachites have buried themselves too deep to trace directly" Yang replied. "But I did learn that their main faunus smuggler, one 'Sky Lark,' operates out of Warehouse Three on the docks. He seems like a decent place to start."

"Anything to add, Jaune?" Qrow asked, nodding.

"Nothing on the Malachites" Jaune stated. "But the man who found us, he seemed to be the same person who shot Sun. Long black hair, pink eyes, black uniform, master of martial arts."

"Twin bladed handguns, serious expression?" Sun asked, lifting himself off the couch slightly with his elbows.

"Yep" Jaune nodded.

"That's the guy, you kick his ass?" Sun asked eagerly, scootching himself along until his back was supported against the arm of the couch.

"Yang did" Jaune stated, rolling his shoulder experimentally. "He clobbered me."

"Punched him into next week from Bumblebee" Yang clarified proudly, leaning back in her chair and folding her hands behind her head. "He nearly flew through a brick wall." Sun whistled.

"He won't be getting up for awhile" he commented appreciatively.

"If we're quite done being vengeful..." Qrow growled, bringing everyone's focus back to the issue at hand. "We need to form a plan to pick the brain of this 'Sky Lark.' Any ideas?"

"He operates out of warehouse three, right?" Jaune asked Yang, receiving a nod in return. "Ruby, could you get us a floor plan?"

"You betcha!" Ruby chirped, spinning around in her chair to face the computer. Her hands flew across the keyboard as she accessed the records of various contractors that built and maintained the city, pulling up the blueprints in a matter of seconds.

"Wha...?" Velvet muttered, astounded by the ease with which Ruby casually invaded cyberspace.

"I guess I forgot to tell you" Jaune said, momentarily turning his attention away from the screen. "We're not all just fighters. Ruby's a tinkerer and hacker, Yang's our badass femme fatale, Sun's a con man and a thief, Qrow's a brilliant tactician, and I'm our source of money and information from Vale's elite."

"I see..." Velvet murmured, glancing around at the others, who all smiled back at her.

"That warehouse wasn't built too well" Qrow commented, glancing through the list of intended materials. "So getting in noisily is out, not that breaking stealth is something we normally do anyway. Any sort of structural damage could bring the whole building down."

"Yeah..." Jaune agreed, also turning his attention to the screen. "The skylights look like a decent place to enter, but there aren't any nearby buildings to jump from..."

"Any links to the sewage system?" Qrow asked. Ruby tapped a few more keys before shaking her head.

"Nothing we can use" she said, pointing out that the plumbing of the building was all too narrow for even mice.

"Any easily accessable windows?" Jaune suggested. Ruby switched back to the construction records, breezing through a three-dimensional model of the warehouse.

"Nope, they're all on the third floor" she replied dejectedly, checking everywhere. "The only potential entrances we can use are the riverside and streetside loading doors."

"I could ram the front door down with Bumblebee" Yang offered.

"No, Yang" Qrow returned. "There's too much open space on the pier. Though it's unlikely to be mined or otherwise trapped, that warehouse has plenty of upper-level windows for snipers and machine guns. There's too much risk."

"You and I could run up and cut it open?" Ruby said, tapping Qrow's arm.

"None of us are going to put you in harm's way, Ruby" Jaune replied, earning an approving nod from Qrow. "Besides, we need you and Qrow to handle the tech and warn us if the cops begin to show up." Ruby pouted a little, but didn't really protest.

The group lapsed into silence, each with their own thoughts. Qrow, Jaune, and Ruby were busy pouring over the documents on the screen, muttering to each other as they attempted to come up with a plan. Yang was leaning back in her chair, biting the inside of her cheek as she occupied herself with thoughts of information brokers that she wanted to hit up for private reasons. Sun was stroking his leg, a look that hovered somewhere between pain and relief on his face.

Velvet slowly drew her knees up to her chest, finding the silence to be oppressive. In the abscence of distractions, her thoughts turned back to violence she had just seen, had just perpetrated. In her mind's eye, she saw the second mugger rising behind Jaune, his baton raised to strike. She saw him collapse, spasming with his mouth open in a silent scream as the electricity coursed through his body, mercifully falling unconscious seconds later. She saw the deadly dance between Jaune and their military opponent, their blades and bullets arcing gracefully through the air. She saw the asphalt splintering beneath Jaune, felt the force with which he had been rammed into the ground. She watched as the man descended, his face alight with battlelust as he brought his arm down to strike Jaune...

"Alright" Jaune announced, clapping his hands briefly and shaking everyone out of their reveries. "Here's the plan. The front and sides of the warehouse are both too well defended and inaccessible for us to mount a direct attack. Likewise, the roof cannot be reached without some form of aerial transport, which we don't have. That leaves us with one option." Qrow gestured at the documents on the screen.

"The riverside loading bays" Qrow stated. "Their doors are old, overdue for replacement, and quite rusted beneath the waterline. All we have to do is slip into the river, swim underwater to the doors, and break apart the rusted sections. After that, its a straight line to the inside of the building and fresh air. Any questions?" Everyone shook their heads, knowing that Ruby could help them waterproof their equipment. Everyone that is, except Velvet.

"Umm..." she quietly broke in, tentatively raising her hand.

"Yes, Velvet?" Qrow asked, gruffly but not unkindly.

"I d-don't think I can swim..." she stated, her voice shrinking as everyone turned to face her.

"...I guess we should have expected that..." Qrow muttered, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"I would say that she could join you and Ruby in the van" Jaune said. "But we lost that at Junior's. What happened to it, anyway?"

"I had all the computers rigged with thermite packets, set to detonate at the flip of a switch" Ruby stated happily. "So Qrow just hit the button and poof! The evidence became molten metal and plastic."

"Good thinking" Jaune complimented, simultaneously noticing that Velvet still looked a little sick. "But it's getting rather late, how about we all sleep on the idea and do final team assignments tomorrow, eh?" Everyone agreed, and they broke up their meeting with a round of goodnights.

* * *

"Do you want to talk about it?" Jaune asked, deftly slipping out of his trenchcoat and armor back in his basement.

"About what?" Velvet replied, thinking she knew the topic and wanting to avoid it.

"About what you just saw and did" Jaune clarified gently, looking directly at her as he put the armor back in its case. "The first time is always rough, and everyone takes it differently. Just know that I'm here if you want to talk, alright?" Velvet nodded, slowly turning her thoughts over in her head.

"It was just so..." she finally blurted, unsure of how she felt. Jaune looked at her with compassionate eyes, taking a seat on a nearby munitions crate and gesturing for Velvet to follow suit.

"Sudden?" Jaune offered, seeing Velvet struggle. "Painful? Extreme?"

"Painful, I think" Velvet replied, shuddering as the image of the man's thrashing body resurfaced in her mind. "And just...cruel. I mean, to use pain and violence to fight pain and violence..." She trailed off, staring at her hands with slightly shaking eyes.

_She can't stand to see others in pain, no matter who they are..._ Jaune realized, his sharp mind quickly analyzing the situation. _Taking her along was a mistake, giving her a weapon was an even greater one..._

"Violence is a crude but effective but effective language" Jaune stated gently, almost sadly. "Unfortunately, it's sometimes the only language people understand, or choose to understand. Those people end up being criminals, usually because they don't know any better. Worse, there are people that revel in violence, and these are the monsters that we fight. We use violence against them, so that they can't use violence against others." He knelt in front of Velvet, took her hands in his. She glanced up into his brilliantly blue eyes, shimmering with understanding.

"Whatever he was going to do, Velvet" Jaune continued, seeming to stare into her soul. "You stopped him. He could have raped that woman, he could have fought me, he could have fought you. Whatever happens to him, is a far kinder fate than he would have given to others."

"B-but..." Velvet weakly protested, unable to rid her mind of his screams.

"I'm not saying you should embrace violence wholeheartedly" Jaune interrupted, wanting to get his point across before Velvet managed to traumatize herself. "I'm saying that what you did is nothing compared to what he could have done. If violence makes you sick, you don't have to participate."

"But then..." Velvet muttered, her head drooping, the rest of her sentence coming out in a mumble.

"I didn't catch that" Jaune said, tilting his head so that his ear was closer.

"But then I couldn't help you..." Velvet repeated, a little louder. "I'd just be in the way, a nothing, like I always have been..."

"You're not nothing, Velvet" Jaune stated firmly, giving her hands a reassuring squeeze. "No person on this world is nothing, no matter how much they may think so. Everyone means something to someone. Everyone. You don't have to fight in order to help, if that's what you really want. Ruby never fights, but she's absolutely brilliant with technology. Without her, we'd be going off of guesswork and dubious tips from information brokers."

"I'm not smart like her!" Velvet burst out, a single tear sliding down her cheek. "I'm not beautiful like Yang, I'm not suave like Sun, I can't fight like you and Qrow. What can I possibly do that you all can't do better?" She felt utterly useless, regretful, and sick. Pulling a trigger was easy, she realized. Living with it wasn't. She just glad that she hadn't been given a real firearm, or even Jaune might not have been able to pull her out of her depression.

"You make people smile" Jaune said simply.

"Eh?" Velvet grunted, looking up with her eyes brimming, but not overflowing.

"The oldest and youngest patrons of Beacon" Jaune explained. "Whenever you smile, they smile. You made Yang and Ruby and Qrow smile..."

"He smiles?" Velvet asked, partly surprised and partly to show that Jaune was lifting her spirits.

"He does, surprisingly" Jaune grinned. "And Sun, you should have seen the grin on his face when he was sitting alone on that couch a few days ago. I think he was just glad to have another faunus to socialize with, even if he did keep his own identity a secret. Even Ms. Goodwitch, you remember her right? When I paid, she smiled and told me to take care of you, and she never smiles." Velvet chuckled a little at that, remembering Ms. Goodwitch's hard expression and stern gaze.

"So what can you do that we can't?" Jaune continued. "You're a ray of sunshine on a bad day. You bring out the best in people. If you're feeling down, we all feel the urge to get together to bring you back up. You're the strongest moral support we've ever had. You've essentially said that you hate suffering, and that's what we're trying to end." Jaune smirked a little.

"Ozpin has told me that there needs to be more people like me" he said. "People that can 'cut through the nonsense of everyday life.' I told him that the world needed more people like him, those with the patience to raise people like me in our world. Maybe we're both right, and maybe we're both wrong. Either way, I'm now convinced of one thing. This world needs more people like you. People who want to end all the pain and see everyone standing together not as enemies, but as friends." Velvet didn't really know how to respond to this frank and open speech, so she resorted to the oldest expression of affection. She pulled Jaune in and wrapped her arms around his shoulders in a close embrace. Jaune smiled a little, hoping that what he had done was enough to prevent any further self-inflicted mental torture she might suffer.

_Just don't turn out like Fox..._ Jaune silently prayed, rubbing Velvet's back soothingly. _Please don't let her turn out like Fox..._

* * *

_[Vale Police Tower]_

Ren winced a little, forcing his muscles to remain relaxed as Nora cleaned few abrasions he had suffered in his fight against Paladin and his unknown friends. He was currently sitting on a bed in the Vale PD's infirmary, reviewing and revising the file he had built on the vigilante. He filled in details on the blonde who had punched him, dissatisfied with how poorly his normally perfect memory was serving him. He chalked it up to his unsettled emotional state and moved on, modifying the estimated aura strength and reserves of Paladin to the highest possible settings. Ren carefully put his scroll down as Nora lifted his arms, wrapping bandages around his torso. He winced again as her fingers brushed his broken rib, and she quickly chirped an apology.

"And there you go!" Nora finally announced, securing the bandages and making sure they were comfortable.

"Thank you, Nora" Ren replied, standing up and putting his jacket on again.

Nora pulled his arm around her shoulders as a precaution, seeing as the painkillers she had given him induced poor balance and possibly nausea if the patient moved too quickly. She led him to the barracks, and helped him lie down comfortably on their bed. She snuggled up under his chin as he resumed editing and reviewing Paladin's file, humming a little at the contact.

Ren stared at the file, trying to make sense of it all. Paladin was a vigilante, and his targets were accordingly random, ranging from common gutter rats to slightly more influential members of the criminal underworld. Still, Ren was convinced that there had to be a pattern, some method behind the apparent madness. Otherwise, the VCT would never have been contacted and the Vale PD would have received perhaps a military strike team or two from Vale's army. There had to be something that linked these people, a common denominator that could be found and exploited.

Ren shook his head, realizing his basic error. He was staring at every criminal that Paladin had encountered (that the Vale PD knew about), which naturally made it impossible for a common denominator to exist. Eliminating every name except for those brought in, or rather dropped off, by Paladin, Ren quickly found what he was looking for. The five criminals that were left had all been engaged in the black-market faunus trade, as had Junior, now that Ren thought about it.

"Nora" he said, shaking her out of her happy reverie.

"Hmm?" she replied, rolling over to face him.

"Get me everything the police have on illegal faunus dealers working inside Vale" Ren ordered. "I want to know who they work for, who they sell to, where they hide their money and their merchandise, everything."

"Alright!" Nora grinned, skipping off to requisition the data from the Archives.

Ren sat up slowly, bracing his back against the wall. Even while under the influence of the percocet in his system, Ren was still sharp enough to piece together that, whenever Paladin raided one of the faunus dealers, the police never found the faunus they had been hoping to sell. That meant one of two things. First, Paladin could simply be taking them and reselling them on the black market for his own profit. However, since Paladin regularly engaged in more normal vigilantism, Ren disregarded that theory in favor of the second one. Paladin was emancipating the faunus. This theory was not without its own questions and flaws, however. For example, where would Paladin hide all the faunus he liberated? Though there were few recoverable records, it was estimated that close to one hundred faunus had simply disappeared. He would need either multiple hiding spots, which increased the likelihood of being discovered but decreased the amount of faunus reclaimed per raid, or one large safehouse, decreasing the odds of its being found but putting all of the proverbial eggs in one basket.

_At least we now know why we were sent... _Ren thought to himself. _If this theory is correct, then Paladin will be labeled as a domestic terrorist and be hunted down as such. Only the VCT has the authority to take military action inside Vale's borders without express permission from the government. We're here as the potential first wave..._

Ren let his mind run blank for a little while after that train of reasoning, slipping into a meditative state. While his body rested and slowly restored itself, his mind wandered. He easily sensed Nora's bright aura, bouncing back and forth as she talked with the archivists. He found the chief, tense and high-strung as he struggled to handle the ever-increasing amount of work that organized crime was beginning to throw his way. He reached deeper down, sensing the confused mass of subdued and sealed aura emanating from The Pit, searching for one cat faunus in particular...

* * *

Blake was kneeling on the ground, breathing heavily as she nursed some shallow cuts and multiple harsh bruises. Around her lay five unconscious bodies, or was it ten? She had stopped counting after four. Her muscles burned, her body ached, yet she had experienced her first real victory in two years. She grinned ferally, glad that she had regained some of what she had lost. Then she stifled a groan, wincing as she stood up. She also experienced her first real pain in two years. She slowly walked away, licking her wounds and glaring around at those few faunus who had stayed to watch the fight. They readily backed off, unwilling to try their luck against her.

She returned to a quiet little corner that she had claimed as her own, sitting down and leaning against the wall of The Pit. She knew that beating on her untrained and violent fellow inmates wouldn't bring her back to who she had been, but it was a start. She could push them as hard as she liked, inflict pain, break bone, rupture organs, kill. It didn't matter, because they would all die here anyway, all she did was change the date. She fought down an insane urge to giggle, for she now realized that Adam had been right all along. To be truly strong you needed to embrace your inner monster, to relish the suffering of others as well as your own. She had nothing left in this world except her worthless life, and that would make her stronger than ever before...

She growled a little, feeling a chill run down her spine. She knew someone was observing her, and she knew that it wasn't one of the other faunus. She flared her aura in defiance, refusing to hide from their prying eyes. Whoever they were, she would not be intimidated by such a cowardly method of observation.

_Let them come... _She thought to herself, as the tingling sensation slowly faded away. _Let them all come..._

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Hey guys! I know that this chapter is on the shorter side, but it really is just a "here's where everyone stands" chapter before events begin to spiral out of control. And for the really observant, you may have noticed that the chapter count is lower than it should be. This is because I deleted older chapters that seved no purpose except for me to apologize for not uploading, they broke the flow of the story and I (and probably a lot of others) were tired of seeing them. So yeah, two last things. First, I have a new story up, "The Grimmborn War." It's a dark medieval fantasy AU, featuring most of the Season 1 characters as they struggle to survive a Grimm apocalypse, fuelled by mysterious humanoid sorcerors known as the Grimmborn. Please give it a chance, even if you hate it. Any and all feedback (negative and positive) is greatly appreciated and needed at the beginning of a new enterprise. Second, I'm currently working on a third RWBY story with Volcaniclord, centering around a school break with Velvet, Jaune, and all seven of the Arc sisters. It'll be humor and comedy, and will probably be out by the end of October.

As always guys, have a great week:)


	12. Warehouse 3

**Warehouse 3**

Jaune yawned expansively, stretching his arms out to their furthest extent before rolling out of bed and blindly floundering for the 'off' button on his overly-annoying alarm clock. That is what normally would have happened on any normal morning, with a good morning consisting of miraculously waking up a few minutes before the alarm and taking a shower. This morning, along with most of the mornings for the past week, was different. He yawned and attempted to stretch his arms, only to find them pinned to his sides. Unable to ponder this unusual turn of events due to his tea-deprived brain, he merely forwent his usual stretch and tried to roll out of bed, only to be met with an unusual amount of resistance.

The horrible buzzing of the alarm clock finally induced him to open his eyes, and he relaxed as he realized the source of his unusual restraint. Velvet was sleeping next to him, her arms wrapped around his chest as she nuzzled her face into his shoulder. He smiled slightly, remembering how she had woken him early in the morning, complaining of a nightmare. He had agreed to let her sleep next to him, and she had fallen asleep in his arms. It was rapidly becoming a nightly occurance. She stirred, disturbed by the still-ringing alarm. Her grip on Jaune tightened as she stretched, then loosened as she slowly lifted her face, blearily blinking her eyes.

"Morning" Jaune greeted nonchalantly, a soft smile on his face. "Sleep well?" Velvet nodded, a few locks of hair falling randomly across her face. She yawned cutely and slowly got off him, hitting the alarm as she rose.

"Tea?" she offered, already heading towards the kitchen.

"Sure" Jaune replied, only now realizing that his arms were numb from a lack of circulation. He patiently waited for them to become functional again, internally wincing at the extreme pins-and-needles feeling. By the time Velvet had the tea brewed, he had managed to sit up and stretch, cracking his back and neck.

"Sorry" Jaune apologized, noticing that Velvet flinched a little at the sound.

"Hehe..." Velvet grinned a little, and Jaune returned the smile. He was glad to know that she was slowly perking up under his care. During the nearly two weeks since she had arrived, she had gone from being dirty, malnourished and timid to clean, healthy (or healthier, at the least), and more open and friendly. He knew that she probably still had a few demons lurking inside her head, but he was confident that she would make a full recovery given time.

Once they had finished their morning tea, they slipped into their usual work outfits and headed off to the Beacon Tavern. They walked inside, Jaune taking his place behind the bar and Velvet picking up her pad and pen. They went to work serving the patrons with smiles on their faces and radiating with politeness. To the common observer, nothing had changed. To their coworkers, the anticipation was almost tangible. One week had passed since they had formulated their plan to assault Warehouse 3, and they were finally prepared to carry it out. The lunch break passed without much conversation, even Yang and Jaune gave their usual shenanigans a rest in favor of eating quietly. The afternoon passed uneventfully, and finally closing time rolled around.

"Come again!" Sun called cheerily from behind the bar, waving that last patron out. Jaune wiped down the counter for the umpteenth time, adding his grin to Sun's as the patron waved over their shoulder. Yang collapsed into a barstool, and rapped her knuckles in front of the two bartenders.

"And what can I get for you, miss?" Sun teased, leaning flirtatiously on the bar.

"A strawberry sunrise" Yang replied confidently. "With one of those little umbrella thingies."

"Sure thing" Sun replied, turning to make the drink.

"Not tonight, Yang" Jaune interrupted, sliding a can of soda over to Yang and placing his hand on Sun's wrist. "We all need to be sober for this."

"It's one faunus dealer, Jaune" Yang protested, eyeing the soda with less enthusiasm.

"One faunus dealer with some newfound security" Ruby broke in, flashing into the room and jumping up to sit on the bar itself.

"What's he got now?" Jaune asked, sliding a second can of soda over.

"Around twenty thugs-for-hire" Ruby replied, cracking open the soda and taking a sip. Seeing that she was unlikely to actually get alcohol this evening, Yang followed suit. "You know the type. Suits, brutish expressions, not to bright, armed to the teeth with swords and guns."

Jaune nodded, adding these new thugs to the list of defenses that Sky Lark had acquired in the week since Junior's club had been raided by the authorities. In addition to these new guards, he had invested in new cameras, motion detectors, and two AK-130 combat androids. That he could afford all this new gear attested to his success as a player in the faunus black market. However, all the fancy new toys only brought the illusion of security, thanks to Ruby's advanced hacking skills.

"Alright" Qrow said, clapping his hands and drawing everyone's attention. "Now that we're all closed up, let's get changed and go over the plan once more, eh?" Everyone nodded, following him down to the cellar.

Jaune grabbed one of the two duffle bags he had brought over the day before and followed Sun into the bomb shelter, politely closing the door behind them. Yang and Ruby went into the workshop to change, and Velvet, who had taken the second duffle bag, followed them. Jaune easily slipped out of his semi-formal attire and into a pair of jeans and a tshirt, forgoing the hoodie and trenchcoat to keep himself light. He put his mask over his head, still rolled up to his brow like a skullcap. Sun pulled on his own pair of jeans and unbuttoned his shirt, letting his tail free. He tied a yellow bandanna emblazoned with flaming bananas around his neck, ready to pull it over his face.

It took all of four seconds for Ruby to swap her chef's outfit for a black tank top and black sweatpants with red polkadots, a pair of fingerless posture gloves on her hands. Yang changed almost as quickly as her sister, an impressive feat considering her combat attire was far more complex. Once she was done, she grabbed a toolbox and walked over to the impressive and partially disassembled yellow motorbike in the corner, setting to work with gusto. Velvet changed slowly, exchanging her formal dress for her jeans and hoodie. She knew that she was staying behind with Ruby and Qrow to keep an eye on the intercepted security feeds from Lark's gear and the police. Still, it was the spirit behind the action that mattered.

_Jaune was right..._ She thought to herself, pulling out her halfmask and fitting it snugly across her face, feeling a measure of her usual timidity fade away. _Masks really are liberating..._

"Ok people, listen up" Qrow announced once everyone had returned to the wine cellar, having changed into a black long-sleeved shirt and black slacks. "Step one, Jaune and Sun will infiltrate Warehouse 3 through the riverside loading bay. Once inside, Sun will tap us into Lark's network using Ruby's..." His voice trailed off, glancing down at the small transmitter connected to a series of wires that he held in his hand. Shrugging and handing the device to Sun, he continued.

"...device. Once we're tapped in, I'll coordinate their efforts to distract Lark's forces while Ruby takes the androids offline. At this point, profile analysis suggests that Lark will try to escape. Yang, you'll be patrolling nearby to catch him in case this happens. If not, I'll give you the green light to break into the warehouse and help finish the fight." Yang nodded, stretching a little while checking Ember Cecelia and her spare ammunition.

"Once the androids are offline, Ruby will try to head off any police units moving in on the warehouse. However, even with her efforts, we'll still have a window of ten minutes max. So let's try to get this done in five, alright?" Qrow wrapped up the briefing, glancing around at the small team of vigilantes. They all nodded, and began moving to their assigned locations.

* * *

Jaune glanced furtively around, making sure that the abandoned section of riverside streets were indeed abandoned. After a brief secondary sweep with his aura, he nodded and gestured to Sun, who stepped out of the alley behind him. They had been coming here to practice swimming in their gear for the better part of a week, and they were more than prepared for this evening. As Jaune slipped into the river he easily struck off against the current, maintaining a set distance between himself and the bottom despite his heavy armor. Sun was right behind him, his gunchucks and Ruby's hacking device protected inside a sealed waterproof pouch.

The two were nearly blind in the underwater darkness, but they found their way to the base of the rusted loading doors of Warehouse 3 easily enough. Mentally thanking Qrow for teaching them aura techniques to reduce their reliance on oxygen, Jaune drew Crocoa Mors and glanced at Sun. Getting the 'OK' signal, he drew his arm back slugglishly, and struck at the rusted metal as hard as he could. It shattered on the first blow, and the two instantly swam inside. Knowing that they only had a few more seconds of oxygen left in their lungs, they threw caution to the winds and surfaced, clambering as quietly as they could onto solid ground.

Mercifully, no one was there to see them. Still, they slunk quickly behind some crates, hoping that no one would come along and notice two pairs of wet footprints. The glanced around, taking their bearings. The warehouse was a large, mostly open structure, filled with a labyrinth of shipping containers and crates. It was somewhat well light, fortunately, and Jaune could make out the forms of thugs moving around on a second-floor balcony halfway across the warehouse. Sun's quick eyes noticed the junction box that Ruby had created the device for, and silently pointed it out to Jaune. Jaune nodded, and pointed out the thugs. They crouched low, moving quickly and quietly to a shipping container closer to the box. Before Sun could dash out to begin connecting the device, Jaune patted him on the shoulder and drew him back. A lone thug was leaning against the shipping crate, taking a smoke as he gazed at the featureless walls with dull eyes.

"Got a silencer?" Jaune murmured, not wanting to kill the man but knowing that stun rounds would leave him convulsing against the floor.

"Nope" Sun breathed, eyeing the man's cigarette. It had just been lit, and they couldn't afford to wait for him to finish his smoke.

The two boys looked at each other, nodded, and moved as one. Sun went first, using his light load to his advantage as he lashed out against the man's wrist and neck. His eyes widened in surprise as his gun fell from his hand, unable to scream as Sun's muscled arm wrapped around his neck. Jaune, slightly slower due to his armor, snatched the gun from the air before it could clatter on the ground, whipping it up and around to strike the man a harsh blow across the temple. He flinched and went limp in Sun's arms, bleeding slightly. Sun gently set the body down before turning to the box, pulling Ruby's device from his waterproof pouch. Jaune quietly dismantled the gun, his eyes everywhere as he kept tabs on some of the oblivous guards.

"And...we're in" Sun stated, finishing up his tinkering and pulling out his gunchucks. Jaune nodded and activated their comms, signalling Qrow that Ruby's device was up and running.

"So..." Jaune said, letting the word roll slowly off his tongue as he drew his sword and shield. "You want to go stealthy, or crazy?" Sun grinned under his mask, pulling out his gunchucks and giving them a practice spin.

"Crazy" he replied, priming his weapons with a satisfying 'click.' They stepped out from behind the container, gave fierce yells, and began their assault on Warehouse 3.

* * *

"And...we're in" Qrow stated, watching the screens in front of him flicker into focus as a small buzzer went off. Ruby perked up, swivelling dramatically in her spinny chair as she faced the screens.

"Alright..." she murmured, cracking her knuckles as she pulled up to the computer desk, her fingers flying over the keyboard.

"Cameras...computers...lights..." she muttered the name of each system as she took control, finally trailing off with a frown. "Where are they?"

"Something wrong?" Qrow asked, glancing at his niece.

"The androids..." Ruby replied. "They're not in the system..."

"Check again" Qrow commanded, already using the hijacked cameras to sweep for the androids. Velvet's quick eyes found them first, and she pointed them out. The two AK-130 combat androids were already glowing red, their primary weapons preaparing themselves as they stepped from the shadows.

"Uhh, Boss?" Sun's voice came over the comms. "Please tell me Red's got those under her control?"

"No" Qrow replied. "Run." Velvet's ears twitched at those two words, and she silently prayed to any god that would listen for their safety.

* * *

One of the droids, evidently modded for ranged combat, hefted twin miniguns and began spewing rounds. Jaune and Sun ran for all they were worth, trying to lose themselves in the maze of shipping crates as they stayed just one step ahead of being perforated by high caliber rounds. The second android, modded for speed and melee combat, leapt over multiple containers before crashing into the ground in front of them, and they separated to avoid being killed by its twin energy blades.

"Any tips?" Jaune asked through his comms, channeling as much aura through his shield as he dared before bowling a thug over with it as he ran. He turned it seconds later to deflect several rounds that penetrated through the walls of a nearby shipping container.

"The ranged android seems to rely on its melee counterpart as a spotter" Qrow replied, his eyes flying across the screens. "So you'll want to take that one down first. After that, the ranged one will be fighting blind."

"Understood" Jaune replied, glancing over his shoulder. The melee android had switched targets to Sun after being shot several times by his gunchucks. Jaune absently bashed another thug into the ground with his shield, taking in the melee android.

_Swift, probably powered by highly-refined dust, yet lacking in armor to achieve such high mobility..._ He continued to list off various strengths and weaknesses of the android as he made his way over to where Sun was fighting. _Thus, the reactor is most likely..._

"Here!" Jaune finished his thoughts in a mighty shout, leaping from the top of a shipping crate as he swung his sword down.

The aura-infused blade sheared through the minimal armor on the android, exposing a power core that pulsed red. Sun wasted no time in pumping multiple rounds into the core. Both vigilantes braced, their auras flaring just moments before the core detonated. This, however, had the effect of clearing the surrounding area, exposing them to the fire of the ranged android. Staggered as they were after the explosion, they still tried to evade the incoming hail of bullets. They needn't have bothered. Said hail of bullets never left the barrels of the android's miniguns, for the entire war machine was consumed in a massive pink explosion.

"What the...?" Jaune muttered, looking up.

"Wipe that explosion off your face and get moving!" Qrow ordered. "You don't have much time, a VCT officer is here!"

"What about Lark?" Sun demanded, flipping onto his feet and beginning to move as the few remaining thugs struggled to withstand this new assault, pink explosions going off everywhere.

"Forget him" Qrow stated. "We were lucky enough to interrupt him in the middle of a deal, with the Twins, no less. Yang is currently in pursuit. Your top priority is to ge..." the rest of his statement was cut off by another explosion, almost on top of them this time. The two vigilantes spun around to face the VCT officer, her ginger hair cut close to her shoulders and her warhammer held across them.

"Hello, boys~" she sang, her blue eyes shimmering insanely in the afterglow of her explosions. "I'm afraid you're under arrest!" Sun and Jaune readied their weapons, knowing they'd have to work out an escape route on the fly.

"Let's dance, sugar" Sun taunted, flipping his gunchucks once for effect. The officer's grin matched her insane eyes as she hefted her warhammer, already beginning to charge.

* * *

"I BURN!" Yang chanted the chorus to her favorite song, the wind whipping through her hair as she gunned Bumblebee's engine.

She was flying down the freeway, weaving between lanes as she kept the Malachite twins in view. She had met the Twins a few times before, always when she had gone to Junior's for information. They had always been cold and aloof, and combined with their impractical-yet-stylish combat attire, Yang had never suspected that they might share her favorite hobby.

Each of the twins was riding a compact motorbike in their chosen color, evidently built for speed and maneuverability. The three girls' hair streamed out behind them as they pushed their bikes to the max, breaking just about every motor-vehicle law in Vale as they did so. They got a lot of irritated honks and verbal abuse as they recklessly wove in and out of traffic, using their smaller size to their advantage as they changed lanes, cut off cars, went well above the posted limit, and generally did everything they could to go faster. Yang grinned expansively the whole time, loving every dangerous second of the high-speed chase. While it was obvious that the Twins had considerable skill, they couldn't match the might of Yang, who had spent nearly every day since she had gotten her liscence practicing her reckless driving. She steadily gained ground, and was only a carlength behind the nearest Twin when a new contender dramatically joined the chase.

The first thing Yang noticed was the heavy droning of a bullhead aircarrier overhead, the mighty engines straining as it kept pace with the speeding bikes. The next thing was a sleek black bike falling from the rear hatch of the dropship, which landed cleanly on the freeway a few carlengths behind her. The final thing she noticed before she returned her full attention to the Twins was that the bike had no wheels.

Must run off the same anti-grav technology that Rubes keeps going on about... Yang thought to herself, making a mental note to ask her sister to see if the same tech could be added to Bumblebee.

It quickly became apparent that the new driver was also quite skilled, and that their bike had substantially more power than anything Yang had ever seen. It took mere moments before the sleek black bike was even with her, literally flying down the highway in near-silence. Yang glanced over at the other driver at the same time that they chose to observe her. For an instant, time froze. She clearly saw the man's long black hair pulled back into a ponytail flowing behind him. She saw his features set with determination, his eyes a curious mix of violet and pink behind a pair of clear goggles. He had eschewed the idea of a helmet, probably because they were ineffective at the speeds they were currently reaching (Yang still chose to wear one herself, of course, since most of her riding was at far less dangerous speeds). She felt his flat, emotionless glare somehow pierce her soul in a way that no expression of rage could. Then a car passed between them as they surged forward, and the moment was shattered.

"I've got company" Yang called through her comms, watching as the black bike with its black-clad rider pulled ahead.

"Gangsters?" Velvet asked, being the person in charge of monitoring Yang's comms.

"More like the military" Yang replied, glaring at the unmarked black bike.

"Oh dear..." Velvet muttered, and Yang heard a brief conversation on the other end of the line as she continued to close with the Twins.

"Holy shit..." Yang gaped, a phrase echoed by Velvet and Qrow as they gazed on the scene through traffic cameras.

The rider of the black bike had produced a bladed pistol seemingly from thin air and shot out the front tire of one of the Twins' bikes. The white motorcycle flipped over as the metal rim of the wheel caught the pavement, the white-clad rider tumbling dangerously over the freeway. Yang had only a split second to react. The armed man apparently had no intentions of stopping for her, as he already had both hands back on the handlebars of his bike, speeding after the other Twin. So, Yang leaned Bumblebee to the side, reaching out with one arm to scoop the fallen Twin from the ground. She winced a little as she saw sparks fly from the rim of Ember Cecelia, but figured that it was better for them to take the abuse than her skin. Feeling the Twin sink into the crook of her arm, she pulled up mightily, righting her bike and pulling the Twin in close to her body.

"The hell are you doing?!" the Twin screeched in Yang's ear, her black hair whipping around Yang's face.

"Saving your sorry ass from being splattered by a hundred cars?" Yang suggested sarcastically, taking the rapidly approaching exit as quickly as she dared. Even though she had a tight grip on the Twin, she couldn't afford to give her any chance to escape.

"Fuck you!" the Twin shouted, vainly pounding at Yang's arm.

_Must be Melanie..._ Yang thought to herself, glancing down at the viciously sharp heels that, thankfully, were at too awkward an angle to be used against her. She had fought the Twins once, when she had originally gone to Junior's club for information on her missing mother. While she still thought that they looked too much like hookers what with all their makeup and exotic dresses, she found their combined fighting style of bladed heels and claws to be elegant and effective.

"I've got Melanie" Yang told Qrow. "Should I go after the other twin?"

"Leave her" Qrow sighed, resignedly. "You wouldn't be able to handle keeping the Twins still while fighting someone else anyway. Just bring the one you've got in and pray that the other doesn't get caught."

"Understood" Yang replied, getting off the main roads and into the red-light district as quickly as possible. No need for the cops to know where she was heading.

* * *

"Damnit!" Jaune cursed, his shield arm going numb after blocking the fifteenth conscutive swing of the VCT officer's warhammer.

He was on the defensive, protecting Sun as he slowly picked himself up after having taken a nasty hit to the head. Their fight had proven the structural instability of Warehouse 3, which had crashed down around their ears in a flurry of pink explosions and aftershocks of aura-infused weapons striking each other. They currently stood on the wreckage, a smoldering and irregular battlefield. Jaune knew that it was only a matter of time before the police or the officer's partner arrived, and he knew that the officer knew it. She was content to draw their attention and keep them from fleeing, despite her threat to arrest them.

Jaune growled and went on the offensive, taking advantage of a momentary hitch in her movements. He felt instant relief as she began to give ground, caught off guard while she was busy taking a moment to restore her muscles with her aura. However, even though she hadn't been able to fully restore herself, she was still a formidable fighter. She let Magnhild fall to the ground, knowing that it's weight would be more of a hindrance than an aid in this fight. She drew a combat knife from her belt, settling into her guard as she parried Jaune's attacks. Jaune quickly found himself locked in a stalemate, unable to gain an advantage over the officer as she used her now-unencumbered agility to both stay out of his range and keep him within hers. The fight ended with a split-second warning.

"ONE SIDE!" Sun shouted, and Jaune sidestepped as bullets sped past him. Two struck the officer in the same leg, and she went down with a muffled cry of pain. Jaune didn't bother finishing the fight, instead sprinting with Sun back to the waterfront and diving into the river as sirens began to wail in the distance.

* * *

Fate being what it was, Yang returned to the Tavern at the exact moment as Sun and Jaune, and the three combined their efforts to drag the white-clad Twin down the concealed exit/entrance ramp and into the workshop. Qrow was waiting, having donned a balaclava.

"Miss Malachite" he greeted cordially, as if she wasn't being frogmarched by a dangerous blonde beserker and two sopping-wet vigilantes. She spat at him, and Yang made to punch her across the mouth.

"Hold, Phoenix" Qrow stated, still calm and collected as he glanced down at the spit that now adorned his shoes. "She just needs to have a little time to adjust, I'm sure. She'll come around once she fully understands the situation she and her sister are in."

"You leave Miltiades out of this!" Melanie demanded, writhing in Sun and Jaune's grasp.

"That isn't so simple" Qrow replied, still cordial. "Why don't we all have a seat and talk?" One minute and a few coils of rope later, Melanie had taken a seat in the circle of vigilantes. She tested the knots briefly before giving up, she could tell that Qrow was obviously a master.

"Now, Miss Malachite" Qrow began, his voice all business. "How much do you know about the VCT officer that was sent after you and your sister?"

"Why should I be wasting my time with you?" Melanie demanded, still retaining her haughty attitude even when bound to a chair. "Faunus lovers and borderline criminals yourselves! There isn't a vigilante alive who isn't corrupt. What is it that you want, money? Slaves? Influence? I can do all that and more."

"Quite frankly, I think you're missing the point" Qrow stated. "Yes, we do want information on where you keep your slaves, but not only because we intend to free them. The officer who pursued you this evening is Lie Ren."

"Is that name supposed to mean something to me?" Melanie asked, clearly unamused. Qrow nodded at Ruby (who had also donned a facemask), and she stepped forward to present a file on the officer.

"Lie Ren has a history of ruthless efficiency" Qrow began, Ruby flipping pages to show various police files where his involvement was suspected or confirmed. "He routinely uses extreme violence and other unorthodox methods to achieve what we estimate to be a 97% success rate when operating by himself and a 99% rate when operating with his partner."

"Shouldn't he be fired, then?" Melanie said, her derision and superiority bleeding out of her voice to be replaced by a measure of worry. "The VCT exists to protect Vytal from both internal and external threats, doesn't it?"

"The VCT uses 'Any Means Necessary' as their unofficial motto" Qrow stated, shaking his head. "And they legally have the power to temporarily suspend the civil rights of anyone they deem to be a domestic terrorist." His eyes hardened, seeing Melanie's expression become stricken. "I truly hope you wish to cooperate with us, Miss Malachite. If not, we won't be able to save what's left of your sister."

* * *

**Author's note:**  
Hey guys! Sorry for the delay, but early application dates for colleges popped up and I had to deal with them. So yeah, here's the latest chapter! Now, while I still (hopefully) have your attention, I want to ask a serious question. Do you guys think this story needs cover art? I mean, the helmet of Loki is cool and all, and I don't want to seem like I'm begging for a handout (though if you're an artist and want to make cover art, I won't say no), but I know that cover art can really lend a story some personality. So yeah, respond however you like, I've learned my lesson about trying to create polls. And as always, have a great week guys:)

PS: Over 100 favorites and 130+ followers, you guys are awesome!:)


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